Every year around this time, TERA hosts a State of the Town meeting. Probably Eagle Rock’s largest recurring public event, the meeting is aimed at showcasing the accomplishments of the City Council District 14 office in the neighborhood against the background of TERA’s efforts to preserve Eagle Rock’s identity as a small town in a big city.
The State of the Town tradition began more than a decade ago when Nick Pacheco, the Los Angeles councilman who represented Council District 14 at the time, was the featured speaker. Over the past seven years, since he succeeded now-Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa as the CD 14 representative in 2005, Councilman Josè Huizar has presided over TERA’s State of the Town, offering Eagle Rockers an opportunity to interact with him on a personal level while getting a chance to ask him questions about community affairs.
“There is something that goes beyond the words spoken at the meeting, when we have the opportunity to be in the same space, looking them in the eye, when our government representatives tell us how things are, what they have done and what they plan to do for the future,” TERA President Bob Gotham told Patch amid his organization’s preparations for the 2013 State of the Town. “Reading a speech is no substitute for being there.”
This year’s State of the Town is scheduled at 7 p.m. on Feb. 27 at the meeting’s usual venue—the historic, high-ceilinged building on Colorado Boulevard where the , is based.
This year, in addition to Huizar’s report and his office’s outlook for the remainder of the year, an update on the status of Eagle Rock’s homegrown Take Back the Boulevard initiative—aimed at making Colorado Boulevard friendlier to pedestrians and bicyclists—will be presented by members of the TBTB team.
Readers of this article are invited to offer their comments and questions regarding which topics they would like to see addressed in the meeting. Please confine your suggested topics and questions to items that relate specifically to Eagle Rock—and enter them in the Comments section below. Your input will be monitored and recorded directly by TERA’s president.
Finally, please plan on joining your friends and neighbors at the TERA State of the Town on Feb. 27 at 7 p.m.
Related:
• Huizar Presents State of the (Small) Town in (Big) City
• Bob Gotham Hits the Road in Rush Hour and Proves City Planners Wrong
Councilman Huizar, if there are 7500 stores selling alcohol and tobacco in the city, how will 100 medical marijuana dispensaries serve the patients who really need it, or even those who just like to smoke pot for fun? Councilman Huizar, isn't it true that alcohol and tobacco are 100 times more deadly than marijuana? Isn't it true that 400,000 people die from tobacco related diseases and that zero overdose and die from smoking pot? Isn't it true that over 41,000 people die each year poisoned by alcohol, prescription meds, and over the counter meds like aspirin? Isn't it true that none die from marijuana abuse? Shouldn't prostitution be legal and regulated, and an education program implemented for massage parlor emplooyees to learn about disease prevention, hygeine, safety, immigration, and English as a second language? Why is one business favored over another, other than that neighbors don't like the looks of the customers? I find the customers of the dog groomers to be quite unattractive and their signs to be comical and out of place. Their signs are more obnoxious than those of marijuana dispensaries and massage parlors. Just saying.
ENOUGH with the stumbling staggering bums.
Shame on you Starchy, for your lack of compassion for the residents of Alma Lodge. These unfortunate people don't have much choice in their situation, and their other alternative is to live (and die) on the street. I would rather see Alma Lodge in the community, visibly improving the lives of its tenants, than any money grubbing church or overpriced restaurant. The disabled, mentally ill, and homeless might not be pleasant to look at, but the answer is engagement, counseling, and affordable housing. Every apartment building should be required to provide space to affordably house low income and destitute individuals. Alma Lodge is an oasis in the desert, and we should all be grateful for their service.
"These unfortunate people don't have much choice in their situation" --- riiight. I'm sure they are all innocent victims who never made any decisions that led to their situation. "and their other alternative is to live (and die) on the street" -- really? their ONLY OPTION is to sit on the curb with shit in their pants? "Every apartment building should be required to provide space to affordably house low income and destitute individuals." -- hilarious "Alma Lodge is an oasis in the desert" --- the ALMA LODGE is a boil on our ass. shut it down and move those bums elsewhere
Alma Lodge takes care of people who can't take care of themselves, and who nobody else will take care of. If you don't like looking at them, give generously to The Salvation Army and AA, because they are helping people in every community. Support County Mental Health initiatives too, so they can get people into programs like Alma Lodge where they can maintain their dignity.
rejected - what else you got?