Opinion & Commentary

A Crafty Solution to Art Walk's Sidewalk Issues

By Ed Fuentes — April 16, 2009

artwalk04099 Pamela Rouse

April's Downtown Art Walk had a new spring in its step, and congratulations need to be given to those who worked to find a creative solution to the problem of sidewalk circulation.

Something was needed allow foot traffic to move more freely on Main street, where vendors had taken up residence between Winston and 5th in increasing numbers. That all involved could agree on a solution so quickly speaks highly of the Downtown community. — Continued Inside...


Vinyl Ads Just Don't Cut It on the Hotel Figueroa

By Eric Richardson — April 14, 2009 — 8 Comments

Ripped Supergraphic Eric Richardson

In December of last year, CBS Outdoor ended a long tradition of hand-painted ads on the outside of the Hotel Figueroa when it slapped a vinyl sticker for Target on the building's three-part southern face.

While these new ads might look similar, they lack the character that the previous pitches on the building had possessed. Whether you were a fan of the advertising or not, you had to admire the work that went into painting photo-realistic images on a 15-story building. — Continued Inside...


Central Area Weekly Update: April 7, 2009

By blogdowntown Staff — April 07, 2009
12 Comments

Each week Captain Blake Chow, Commanding Officer of LAPD's Central Division, sends out an email to the community. Captain Chow has agreed to let blogdowntown bring his emails to our readers.


Traffic Disruptions Leave Buses in the Cold

By Eric Richardson — April 06, 2009 — 4 Comments

Immigration Rights March Eric Richardson

On Saturday afternoon, traffic on 6th street came to a standstill as a march for immigration rights made its way west one block south on 7th. Looking down the blocks of stopped vehicles, one thing jumped out: the buses.

From Figueroa, one could see at least a dozen buses stuck in traffic in the three blocks between Flower and Olive. Metro's 16, 20, 51, 60, 66, and 96 were all represented, as was DASH's E route, diverted from 7th. The vehicles represented hundreds of passengers whose travel was being delayed. — Continued Inside...


Visit to 9th St. Elementary Brings Much Hope

By Susana Benavidez — March 25, 2009
4 Comments

There is only so much reporting you can do from your computer or phone- so on Friday, March 20th, Danielle Duran, Kathleen McMullin, General Jeff and I visited 9th Street Elementary to meet the new principal, Ms. Anne Barry. The school grounds were clean, the children loud and happy. They waved as we walked by, and the administrative assistant was very kind...


The Puppeteer that Pulled My Heartstrings

By Susana Benavidez — March 20, 2009
4 Comments

Last weekend I had the pleasure and good fortune to attend the Czechoslovak-American Marionette Theatre hosted by World City at the Walt Disney Concert Hall. The program is completely free and a true hidden gem in Downtown. Vit Horejs, the puppeteer and artist, was heart-warming, engaging and really funny – sometimes with a dry humor like when proclaiming a...


International Children's Film Festival Opens at REDCAT with “Rise and Shine”

By Susana Benavidez — February 27, 2009

REDCAT Lobby Display

Sunny warm weather, clear blue skies and a downtown bustling with people and activities; life this Saturday morning was picture perfect. The girls and I set off from South Park on a trek to Bunker Hill, headed for the REDCAT International Children’s Film Festival. As we made our way down Hope Street we were detained in front of the Sheraton as a sea of dressy...


Getting Involved In Education Isn't Just a Task for the Parents

By Susana Benavidez — February 20, 2009
14 Comments

Last week I went to my first Neighborhood Council meeting. In a surprise to me, no one bit my head off, cursed me, or drove me away. I have heard countless horror stories about Neighborhood Councils, not just in Downtown but also throughout the city of Los Angeles. Yet last week's Education Committee meeting injected me with a jolt of energy in my quest to...


A Rainy Sunday in LA

By Susana Benavidez — February 13, 2009
31 Comments

It rained in L.A. this weekend, which is news for most Angelinos. There was also the Firecracker Run in Chinatown, which I ran in. In the rain. I didn’t brave the 10K but I did complete the 5K—gasping to the end. A few friends signed up (at my pushy suggestion that they join an event that benefits local schools, libraries, and recreation centers in Chinatown...


Ask the Trainer: Drink Your Water! Plus, Meet David

By Billy Locke — February 06, 2009
14 Comments

David's First Weigh In

Our tip this week involves water, but not the rain we've been getting this past few days. First, though, I want to introduce you to David, our 12-week Body Makeover participant. David’s goal is to get down between 10 to 15 percent body fat, lose 25 pounds and tone his entire body. Being a good sport like David is, he has allowed us to take “before” pictures...