Hi Everyone:

I got an e-mail for a Meetup group called Become Nature Smart for a Sustainability Revolution. That, of course–like everything that comes to me–made me think of how Save Village Trailer Park (http://www.facebook.com/pages/Save-Village-Trailer-Park /174220219339324 ) and the outgrowth of that, Occupy Santa Monica (www.occupysm.com) fit into the same categories that new group fits in.

This led me to some more categories Save Village Trailer Park (and maybe also the Friends of Village Trailer Park yahoo group I got an announcement about last week but was not allowed to join when I tried), would fit into.

These are the categories Peter and I’ve quickly come up with so far:

Environment · Green Living · Organic · New Urbanism & Sustainable Development · Social Networking · Sustainable and Ethical Food · Organic Gardening & Permaculture · Sustainability · Holistic Health & Healing · Multicultural · Community Builders · Business and Social Networking · Social Enterprise · New Paradigms · Gardening · Meeting Locations · Meeting Rooms · Community Gardening · Cooperatives · Community Orchards · Green Enterprise Environmental Law Environmental Direct Action CEQA Law · Occupy Wall Street · Occupy Together · Low Cost Housing · Affordable Housing · Santa Monica · Los Angeles Region · Regional Planning · Smart Planning · Transit Planning · Urban Living · Retaining Existing Communities · Historical Landmarks · Mid-Century Design · Right to the City · Urban Territoriality

I’m thinking we should register Save Village Trailer Park as a Meetup Group under all these categories and thereby try to get some more like-minded people to help us. This is in addition to all the other actions everyone is taking. (Speaking of this, in just four days of picketing in front of the Park from 5:30 to 6:30 every weekday since last Thursday, we have seen and heard the number of people who honk when they pass and stop to talk to us about it and/or take pictures of us increase at least fourfold. Michele and Chris from Mountain View have been the movers of this direct action, having experienced the truly heartbreaking harassment that follows when a City determined to eliminate low-cost housing takes over a mobilehome park, and they have been here most every afternoon. People from the Park are also coming out in large numbers, at least three or four an afternoon, some of whom we did not know before we started being out there in front every day. Picketing in front of the Park is a galvanizing action, and we are very happy with how it is going. Nothing we suggest is ever to say stop anything else. Saving the Park is a Movement, one we need to succeed very quickly and on a giant scale to stop the development bulldozer aimed at us, but it also hits deeper goals as indicated in the categories this fits into above.)

My first question is, does this fit in with the time we already have reserved for just Village Trailer Park in the Occupy Santa Monica rubric, which is Sundays 3-6 p.m. in the community room at Village Trailer Park, 2930 Colorado Ave., Santa Monica 90404? Another question is, is there any opposition of the group that already meets at that time to adding this to the existing meeting invitation? Then another question comes to mind, of course, and that is, if we do this, what other categories would Save Village Trailer Park fit into?

Thanks and in solidarity,

bb

Santa Monica Coalition for a Livable City posted the following letter to its friends on its website yesterday.

We want to update you on our ongoing fight to downsize the mega Hines project at 26th and Olympic, and how our efforts are paying off.

Over the past months your support of SMCLC has enabled us to:

* Hire a prestigious law firm and traffic engineer who prepared extensive reports highlighting serious problems with the Hines project studied in the draft environmental impact report (DEIR) which we then presented to City Council and staff as well as to the public;

* Join forces with groups from the entire Westside of Los Angeles who are now all working with us and the City of LA to demand completion of a regional area plan for this entire 140-acre area site before the Hines project or the other large projects in it are approved individually by our City Council;

* Work with the City of LA, the LA Department of Transportation, and Caltrans, each of which has now raised serious, ongoing issues with the size and impacts of the Hines project and insisted on further studies or changes to mitigate the impacts, including a reduced project;

* Unite with all of Santa Monica’s neighborhood groups in successfully challenging the highly accelerated, unreasonable hearing schedule sought by the developers of the Hines project and the Village Trailer Park project before any Area Plan is released for public review;

* Obtain public records for key Hines project documents and key HUD Grant documents to determine whether the City is proceeding legally; and

* Serve comprehensive objections to the abysmal draft Development Agreement that Hines crafted for the City to review;

As a result of these efforts, Hines and the City have now agreed to postpone going to the Planning Commission or the City Council until the beginning of next year. That means we will be able to track and publicize Council candidate donations in this upcoming election and continue to build our broad coalition to challenge the project unless it is suitably reduced in size and impacts.

We’re making history in Santa Monica. A victory against this mega project will cause residents to have a seat at the table when these projects are proposed and will ensure that backroom negotiations are a thing of the past.

Thank you for your support,

Victor, Diana, Sherrill, Susan and Jeff

SMASH (Santa Monica Alternative School House), our progressive, project-based K through 8 public school, will host its annual SuperSMASH school fair and silent auction on Saturday, May 19th.

The popular neighborhood celebration is also a fund-raiser, which
helps underwrite much needed programs that are suddenly in more jeopardy due to the latest round of budget cuts that was announced by Governor Brown this week.

SuperSMASH offers affordable fun for the whole family! Kids can enjoy fun crafts, games and rides that range from exciting to tame, art projects that kindle their inner Kandinsky, live music (by SMASH kids and parents), a car that children and their parents can paint or SMASH (yes, a real car!), a rockin’ BBQ and delicious food.

The SMASH Silent and Live Auction (open to bidding by the public) is known for its remarkable deals and steals. A must!

All SuperSMASH proceeds will help sustain the school and its vital educational programs. There is no better way to spend a Saturday than to give a hand to Santa Monica public schools while having a good time with your family.

Be sure to bring sunscreen and swimsuits – as there will be water activities!

SuperSMASH ’12, Santa Monica Alternative School House Annual Neighborhood Fair and Silent Auction. Saturday May 19, 11:30pm-5:30pm. SMASH campus, 2525 5th Street, Santa Monica, 90405
FREE admission and FREE entertainment (with affordable food, crafts & games available for purchase)

As the Santa Monica College Public Policy Institute’s 1st Annual Spring Symposium began Tuesday, May 15, it announced that SMC is the first and only community college in the state to offer an Associate in Arts and Certificate of Achievement in Public Policy.

With approval from the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s office, SMC offered its first public policy classes this semester.

The Public Policy A.A. and Certificate of Achievement complement the work of the institute, led by former State Sen. Sheila Kuehl. The institute “opens the doors of government to students with an interest in participating in the development, analysis, and implementation of public policies from their inception to their enactment.

The symposium, which ends Thursday, is comprised of speakers, panel discussions and a film, “Education and the Pursuit of Happiness,”

Aside from its academic component, the institute presents free nonpartisan community programs exploring key economic, social and political issues.

Ironically, one of Santa Monica City Hall’s primary problems is its
continuing inability to develop coherent public policies that reflect residents’ priorities.

For more information about the Public Policy Institute and/or the newly established Associate in Arts Degree or Certificate of Achievement, please contact Dr. Richard Tahvildaran-Jesswein, PPI Associate Director, at PPI@smc.edu, or by calling (310) 434-3541.

On Wednesday May 16, from 6 to 9 a.m., the registered nurses who work at Saint John’s Health Center (SJHC) in Santa Monica will conduct an informational picket to, in their words, “shine a spotlight on the regressive demands of their employer.” The RNs won the right to collective bargaining a year ago in an NLRB election. Since then, management has delayed negotiations repeatedly, and when they have come to the table they’ve proposed dramatic cuts in patient safety and RN pension and health benefits.

In April, RNs overwhelmingly voted 87% in favor of striking for safe patient care and RN retention, and hope that Wednesday’s informational picket will persuade management not to force RNs to strike.

The nurses’ informational picket will take place on Santa Monica Blvd between 23rd and 21st Streets, across the street from the hospital.

If it has its way, Saint John’s will become the only hospital in southern California that substitutes LVNs (licensed vocational nurses) for RNs in the state-mandated nurse/patient ratios. “LVNs perform important functions in many hospitals, but their license prevents them from performing the most critical aspects of nursing work – only RNs can do those things,” says long-time St. John’s RN Jack Cline. “Study after study has shown increased patient mortality when the number of RNs in the ratio is reduced. Why does Saint John’s want to go backward on this? We’re fighting for our patients on this issue.”

Saint John’s owner, Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth, is adopting the radical benefit-cutting methods of a smaller, Colorado-based hospital chain it swallowed in 2009, demanding a 40% reduction in the pensions of currently employed RNs, and a 60% cut for new hires. They propose to dramatically restrict the healthcare provider choices of RNs and their families while significantly raising the out of pocket costs of coverage. Saint John’s RNs receive between 20 and 30% below the average hourly wage paid at most other Los Angeles area hospitals (where most RNs are CNA-represented). One result: Saint John’s historically retains fewer RNs than other area hospitals. Over half the RNs at Saint John’s have been hired since 2006.

“Good young nurses work at Saint John’s for a few years, gain experience, and then move on to better paying jobs, leaving Saint John’s to hire a whole new class and start the training all over again,” says Lori Hammond, who has worked in Labor and Delivery at Saint John’s for 33 years.

On Sunday, May 20th, more than 4,000 runners will gather in Santa Monica for the seventh annual Santa Monica Classic. The event, which features both 5K & 10K races, is dedicated to raising funds and awareness for the non-profit Heal the Bay.

Runners will compete on the streets of Santa Monica on a point-to-point course that will end steps away from the Santa Monica Pier. Following the runs, an awards ceremony will be held and a finish line expo at the pier will feature nutrition, fitness and health-related products.

Race trophies will be made of recycled glass.

New this year is a $1,050 prize purse that will be split among the first three male and female finishers of the 10K race..

Runners can sign up for the Classic and pick up pre-race packets on Saturday, May 19th, at the Sports Chalet, 11801 West Olympic Boulevard in West Los Angeles, from 10:00am to 4:00pm, or near the start line at 2600 Barnard Way in Santa Monica, beginning at 6:30am on race day.

The first 2,000 runners to pick up race packets will receive a Sport Chalet Mystery Card valued between $5 and $100 for merchandise at the store. The cards are valid only on Saturday. Coca Cola, Assil Eye Institute, XioMega3 and LA Sports Massage will also have exhibits with free samples.

“The Santa Monica Classic is a great course with fantastic views of the beach, so it’s a perfect way for runners to kick off their summer racing season,” said LA MARATHON LLC COO Nick Curl.

For more information about the race, which is an LA MARATHON LLC event, please visit www.santamonicaclassic.com.

ARCANA: BOOKS ON THE ARTS opened on the pedestrian mall that preceded the Promenade in 1984, next door to the late, great and ever-lamented Midnight Special book store. A great addition, it moved north on the Promenade some years later, it moved north on the Promenade. Then, a couple of months ago, after 24 years in Santa Monica, it closed again.

After what seems like an eon to those of us who love the store and its unique collection of books, but was actually only a couple of months, it will reopen Tuesday, May 15, in Culver City.

Yes! There were once nearly a dozen bookstores in the Third Street
area. Now, with the departure of Arcana, only Hennessey & Ingalls
remains – thanks to the merchandising wizards in City Hall.

The space occupied so memorably by Arcana will be occupied by
Tesla, the racy $100,000 hybrid automobile. It’s a fitting exchange
for the faux Santa Monica. There go the books. Here come the cars.

And, once again, Culver City is the beneficiary of our municipal
malapropisms. If the trend continues, we’ll have to go to Culver
City to find what we once found right here on our doorstep.

Proprietor and Arcana’s resident genius Lee Kaplan said, “After innumerable unexpected delays, we are thrilled to announce that
ARCANA: BOOKS ON THE ARTS is (finally!) re-opening! Tuesday,
May 15, at 11 AM at the historic Helms Bakery, 8675 Washington Boulevard, Culver City 90232. The entrance is from the parking lot at Washington and Hutchison.

“We’re not quite finished preparing our gorgeous new space
- designed by Johnston Marklee in collaboration with Landlocd –
but we can’t wait to share it with you, so we’re throwing caution
to the wind and opening our doors for the first time on Tuesday.

“Not incidentally, the new Arcana is over twice the size of old
Arcana, with more books, more space, and loads of free parking.
Be the first on your block to check out our newly expanded selection including treasures from our previously mysterious back rooms, as well as a slew of fantastic new releases.

“Feel free to call or write for directions, information, inquiries, or to place an order: 310-458-1499 / sales@arcanabooks.com.

“Thank you for your patience and continued support. We’ll be celebrating in grand style with a party soon!”
ARCANA: BOOKS ON THE ARTS

According to a City staff report, “The City-owned property located at 1657 Ocean Avenue is leased to Jay’s Tavern, and operated as Chez Jay restaurant at this time. Palisades Garden Walk, currently under construction, will surround (it) and create an opportunity for the existing restaurant to be upgraded to better serve patrons of the new park.”

In fact, as countless residents know, it would be hard to find a restaurant that has “better served” its patrons over the years than Chez Jay’s.

The report “recommends that the Council authorize the issuance of an RFP for a restaurant operator to lease and remodel or construct a restaurant on the Site. The RFP would indicate a preference for a casual dining restaurant, with or without alcohol, since that meets the objectives of the Civic Center Specific Plan (CCSP) and is designed and oriented to serve Palisades Garden Walk (PGW).”

What “objectives?” I’ve read myriad iterations of the Plan, and I don’t recall seeing any restaurant “objectives” in any of them. As baffling, how exactly does a restaurant “serve” a park? I know of restaurants that seem to have trouble serving people, but I don’t know of one that serves parks – well or badly.

Chez Jay’s has served residents and visitors for decades —
including Sinatra and Kissinger, two of the most demanding people on the planet. I never heard them or anyone else complain about Chez Jay’s service. But Jay himself, genial and easy-going, might have questioned the notion that Chez Jay’s be “designed and oriented to serve Palisades Garden Walk.”

If anything, the Walk should serve Chez Jay’s. It has been around for decades, is of a piece with this beach town and has pleased several generations of residents.

The staff report natters on. “The existing restaurant is currently located on the western edge of Palisades Garden Walk.” No. Palisades Garden Walk is currently under construction hard by a 54-year-old favorite local hang-out.

The staff report continues, “The CCSP calls for a park-oriented restaurant in this location. Extensive efforts to implement the CCSP have been made since its adoption in 2005.”

In fact, most of the things that have been done in the Civic Center
since 2005 were not in the 2005 CCSP when it was adopted — including the mammoth “Village” housing project and the Palisades Garden Walk.

The staff report then goes right off the rails. “CCSP specifies design parameters for the restaurant and park-oriented building(s) to include ‘pavilion-like structures that allow for the generous flow of activities from interior to exterior spaces’…The CCSP encourages the use of verandas, terraces, patios, and other intermediary space in the design of the restaurant. In addition, the CCSP conceived of the ‘park-related’ restaurant and buildings as ‘complementary with the design and activity program for the park.’

“Through extensive community input, PGW’s dynamic design will feature topography that includes creative water elements and public gathering spaces, ADA-accessible amenities, and a major work of public art, ‘Weather Field,’viewable from many vantage points in the park.”

In place of a very cool bistro, we can look forward to a heap of pavilions, verandas, terraces, patios, and intermediary spaces, a $47 million quartet of hills named “garden, gathering, observation, and discovery,” a water feature – right across the street from that somewhat larger water feature called the Pacific Ocean, a major ($440,000) work of public art, “Weather Field,” that consists of 29 aluminum pipes with wind measuring devices on their upper ends, and an “activity program.”

And so a simple, unpretentious beach town bistro is about to be replaced by a fancy, over-wrought, intrusive restaurant in service to a fancy, overwrought, intrusive $47 million park – because City Hall has once again misunderstood a fundamental fact of this gloriously idiosyncratic beach town – less is more.

On 5/9/2012 11:32 AM, City Councilman Kevin McKeown wrote:For the first time, the airport process now includes an explicit direction regarding preparing legal arguments to pursue closure.

If you’re getting this email,you’re one of the hundreds of persons who’s been engaged with this issue, and perhaps one of the roughly one hundred who sent emails to the City Council in the last several days.You got results.

The City Council voted unanimously for my motion to add a new bullet point to the Airport Visioning Phase Three, directing staff to explore the City’s legal options to close Santa Monica Airport if we are not able to resolve the identified problems with jets, pollution, safety, noise, leaded fuel, flight schools, etc., through negotiation with the FAA.

Thanks.
Kevin

Dear City Council Member Mckeown,

Congratulations with your success! Meantime, I do not feel that City Council did a great job approving highly biased and non-professional (based on numerous critics) City staff report.You need to be more selective and approve better written proposals, which would more accurately represent a real situation.

It also strikes me how all branches of SM power are isolated and do not communicate. Airport Commission is a place for debates about the airport issue. They should make a recommendation on this matter to the City Council. Instead – City attorney is making recommendations to the Council; it should be the reverse. Council must direct the attorney. I never saw anybody from the City staff or City Council at Airport Commission meetings. Airport Director is always present at City Council meetings (related to airport), but I did not see him at Airport Commission meetings. It is really bad because the Commission did very good job bringing together a panel of experts, who actually really know what they are talking about – a real contrast to non-professional presentations (if any) at City Council airport meetings. Thus, all these Airport Commission efforts are wasted because City staff and sadly Council members just did not hear them, and continue to operate without
knowledge of the subject.

I would like to make a comment on the priorities mentioned by council members – first, to try to make “better”airport and if not possible – close it. It is not right, all surveys suggested the reverse order. Also, I feel that City Council must respect its previous decisions, the resolution 6296 in particular. It is not good idea to ignore its own decisions. It creates a bigger gap between people and City, when City did not obey its own promises for 30(!) years. I also feel, the attempt to shift responsibility from City Council to federal authorities (Henry Waxman etc) is cynical – the airport is a City-owned and –created problem and City must take all responsibility.

I am tired to repeat this again and again – make a decision towards
closing the airport. City’s “visioning process” leads nowhere because it is highly biased and does not represent people’s opinion.

Sergey Ryazantsev, Ph.D.
18 years in SM, Sunset Park 8 years

Seascapes, Annenberg Community Beach House, through August 12

The focus of a new exhibition of works by Bruria Finkel, Chris Garland and Lita Albuquerque is their fascination with the sky. In these works, they explore its natural configurations—its beauty and its ability to inspire dreams and self-reflection.

Free admission. Information: 310-458-8350. Annenberg Community Beach House, Event House, Garden Terrace Room, 415 Pacific Coast Highway

Santa Monica College Opera Theatre performs “Cosi Fan Tutte”
Saturday, May 12, 7pm, Sunday, May 13, 4pm

Santa Monica College Opera Theatre, in association with Santa Monica College Symphony under the baton of Dr. James Martin, will perform Mozart’s “Cosi Fan Tutte” directed by Gail Gordon. Known to confound audiences, it’s part comedic farce and part emotional tale of tested fidelity. When a friend challenges two men to prove all women are fickle, they test the faithfulness of their fiancées by staging their departure for war and returning later disguised as strangers and would-be suitors. As they say, confusion and hilarity ensue.

Tickets: $35 general admission, $20 seniors/students. information: 310-434-3200. The Broad Stage, 1310 11th St.

“How I Became a Pirate,” Morgan-Wixson Theatre, Saturday & Sunday, May 12 & 13, 11am. Saturdays and Sundays through May 27

AARRRRGH! Who doesn’t want to be a pirate? When young Jeremy Jacobs and his exceptional digging skills are recruited by Captain Braid Beard, Jeremy thinks the pirate life is for him. But these aren’t your average pirates! There’s the meanest pirate on the seven seas — actually a sensitive guy who likes ballet and is a member of Mensa — and the pirate who thinks the stuffed plush parrot on his shoulder is actually real. And the pirate who serves French cuisine. And the pirate who has a cleanliness obsession. And the pirate who barks like a dog. And yes, even the pirate who is an intellectual and is constantly referring to his iPad. A musical adventure of finding one’s own heart, Jeremy’s journey helps him realize that the simple things in life just may be the things that are most important.

Tickets: $10 adults, $7 children age 12 and under. Information: 310-828-7519, Morgan-Wixson Theatre, 2627 Pico Blvd.

Landscapes, James Urmston, FIG Gallery. Through May 19

Painter James Urmston’s latest exhibition, Landscapes, is a series of meticulous and dazzling works that focus on visually complex landscapes of shimmering light and fine detail. Many of his paintings mimic an abstract painter’s concern with the “all-over” while remaining true to actual subject matter — dense, twisted branches, foliage bathed inlight, roots, rocks, gnarled trees and eroding hillsides. Urmston is a master of the landscape tradition.

Free admission. Information: 310-829-0345, FIG Gallery, Bergamot Station G6, 2525 Michigan Ave.

Final 2011/2012 Masterpiece Series Concert of the Season
New West Symphony, Sunday, May 13, 4pm

Acclaimed pianist Anton Kuerti makes a return appearance as guest soloist for the final New West Symphony Masterpiece Series concert of the 2011/2012 Season. He will perform Ludwig van Beethoven’s Concerto No. 4 in G Major for Piano & Orchestra, Opus 58. The program will also include the Symphony No. 1 in C Minor, Opus 68 by Johannes Brahms.

Guest conductor Andreas Delfs, in his New West Symphony debut, will lead the orchestra. Pianist Anton Kuerti is widely regarded as one of the great interpreters of the works of Beethoven. His extensive discography includes all of the Beethoven Concertos and Sonatas, the Schubert Sonatas, the Brahms Concertos and works by many other composers.

Tickets: Range from $25 – $78. Information: 866-776-8400
Santa Monica Barnum Hall, 601 Pico Blvd.