West Hollywood & Around The Globe (January 21, 2010) WeHo News prints every letter it receives, printing them all unedited except for brevity, grammar & spelling.
We WILL request your PHONE NUMBER for ID verification. That private information is not kept by us or used for commercial purposes and is not shared with anyone at all, ever.
We publish the letters as a group on Thursdays; deadline for inclusion is the previous Tuesday at noon.
In certain cases where a letter could stand alone as an op-ed piece, we'll publish it as such, with your permission.
This Week: Letters To The WeHo News Editor: Thursday, August 20, 2009, Googie-style Building Recommended For Protection, Senior Moments: Life As A Senior Citizen, Movietown Plaza Mixed-Use Development Denied, No Smoking It Shall Be In WeHo - Or Shall It..., Keeping WeHo WeHo: No Outdoor Smoke Ban, 1st Tall Wall Off Sunset In Offing.
Dear Editor, Re: Googie-style Building Recommended For Protection
From: John A. Mozzer, Atwater Village, City of Los Angeles
This is wonderful news. I'm very pleased.
“Hollywood Riviera” was converted to condominiums in 1987, so I imagine its designation has the support of the HOA. (Maybe the HOA is the applicant?)
This brings to mind, the endangered Edward H. Fickett designed apartment buildings with uncooperative landlords.
Dear Editor, Re: Senior Moments: Life As A Senior Citizen
From: Ralph Khelil, Beverly Hills
I just saw the link to "Contact us....to make your views heard." for the first time and thought to let you know of my pleasure of reading this feature. I'm writing to express my appreciation and admiration of Ms. Krupa's columns which I have been visiting online for the past couple of years.
Keep up the good work.
Dear Editor, Re: Movietown Plaza Mixed-Use Development Denied
From: Steven Levin, West Hollywood
I find myself saddened, disappointed and angry at the outcome of thePlanning Commission meeting concerning Movietown Plaza.
After overwhelming support from city staff, neighborhood residents, business owners and the East Side Project Area Committee, by a 4-3 vote, the commission recommended denial of this project which would turn a blighted, aging strip mall into what could become one of West Hollywood's most important, high-profile living and shopping destination.
Up until now, I have always been the first to defend the City's assertion that there is no divide between the east and west sides of our city. However unless this recommendation is overturned, I have to begin questioning my ability to continue to make that defense.
Many of the comments by the commissioners were frankly dismissive of the community members there who gave passionate and varied reasons for supporting this project.
The majority of the Commission showed a lack of vision for the future and, more importantly, showed the residents and business owners of east side neighborhoods that as usual, high quality development is reserved for the west side while we are left with an aging center, many buildings in need of redevelopment and more than our share of pawn shops, adult theaters, and fast food restaurants.
We have one hope left, and that hope is that when this project comes before the City Council in February, the council members will focus on the merits of the project, it's future impact on this community and the overwhelming support that the neighborhood has showed.
And the project also offers 76 units of senior affordable housing, right on the transit lines and within walking distance from both Poinsettia and Plummer parks.
I trust and hope the council will give serious and unbiased consideration to the new Movietown Plaza. Their approval of this project will show us that they are serious about the continued revitalization of West Hollywood's East Side. I publicly urge them to please listen to Staff and the East Side residents and business owners and please approve this project.
Dear Editor, Re: Movietown Plaza Mixed-Use Development Denied
From: Sofia Gelman, West Hollywood
We in the Russian Community are deeply disappointed with the decision to deny the Movietown project. While discussing it everyone was very optimistic and excited of the innovative idea to have in West Hollywood a prominent plaza that would be attractive not only to us, but to a lot of visitors, showing the bright and progressive vision of our city.
I can't understand how people so dedicated to aesthetics could stand against such grandiose buildings.
Claims that it will overpopulate our city are ridiculous.
It is impolite and dishonest to trim the architects’ wings after working for so many years on this project, spending so much energy, time and money.
Our community was ready to sacrifice - a few years without Trader Joe's would not be so bad in exchange for the benefits, but we understand that this is not a final decision.
We believe that it is not late to correct such a mistake. Let the Movietown Project be the best thing in the city’s 25 year history.
Dear Editor, Re: No Smoking It Shall Be In WeHo - Or Shall It...
From: Donald Elmblad, West Hollywood
I'd like to comment on the outdoor smoking ban.
I quit smoking 29 years ago. I hate smoking and will not allow anyone to smoke in my home. I love the ban on indoor smoking in bars, restaurants, clubs, office buildings, city hall, etc.
I hate the idea of banning smoking on outdoor patios and sidewalks.
This kind of "Nanny state" laws that criminalize behavior is one more step in the "Socialistic, Fascist" city WeHo will become if we allow a mayor or mayor-protem to dictate the law.
Council has taken a legal medical procedure, Cat declawing and criminalized its use. What’s next? Banning abortion?
If John Heilman and Abbe Land can impose no smoking (presumably for health reasons) in restaurants, Hotels, Clubs, (even private clubs on Sunset?)
Why not ban over weight people from eating in public? As stupid an idea.
Smoking now only between parked cars, in the street? And at City Hall , not in the public parking lot, but in the street.
We should all quit smoking. We should not criminalize it as long as tobacco still legal. We should ban joggers on Santa Monica and Sunset Boulevards TOO. Sweat is offensive to some. (maybe a future Mayor). We have MUCH more important business to attend to.
Please be the voices of reason on this matter.
Dear Editor, Re: Keeping WeHo WeHo: No Outdoor Smoke Ban
From: Neil Elliot, West Hollywood
I have been a resident of W. Hollywood for over 15 years. I have been a non-smoker and was very gratified when smoking was banned from restaurants and bars and theatres. However, I totally agree with John Duran.
Banning outdoor smoking is ridiculous. Sitting on the boulevard, whether it be for a meal or a coffee or a "sidewalk shopping" rest stop, the fumes from the autos on the street cause much more discomfort than someone sitting near me, smoking.
Yes, the smell bothers me, the habit is an unfortunate addiction for the smoker, but where does it stop? Are they going to close down any of the restaurants where open ovens bake pizzas because the emissions from the wood burning stoves may be carcinogenic?
No more freshly cooked foods because of smoke and smells?
We make choices. We don't need to be legislated to be considerate of others, we just need to keep others in mind.
I've been asked, outside on a patio, by a neighboring table, if we minded if they smoked. Usually I ask for them to be down wind of me, or I change around my seat at the table, but I am not about to ask the government to tell them they are breaking the law.
Let the government and police dept. worry about the cell phone abusers and texting millions who are making driving And walking more of a test than a right to get from one place to another in one piece.
Thank you, John Duran, for supporting the need to remain adult, independent and responsible without Big Brother/Sister guiding us.
Dear Editor, Re: Keeping WeHo WeHo: No Outdoor Smoke Ban
From: Manny Rodriguez, West Hollywood
Mr. Duran needs to stop living in the past.
Dear Editor, Re: Keeping WeHo WeHo: No Outdoor Smoke Ban
From: Jose De Jesus Pena, West Hollywood
After reading John Duran's op-ed I still support a ban on outdoor smoking.
I wonder if there has been any studies of the effect that it has had on the cities who have the same ban in place now. Such as Glendale, Beverly hills etc.
I cannot wait to enjoy my cup of Joe enjoying the sun and the semi-clean West Hollywood air nicotine free.
Dear Editor, Re: Keeping WeHo WeHo: No Outdoor Smoke Ban
From: Ed Buck, West Hollywood
John Duran could not be more correct in his comments regarding the smoking ban last week. For the record, I am not a smoker.
I think smoking is disgusting and repulsive. But trying to outlaw smoking on a public street is even more disgusting and repulsive.
Dear Editor, Re: 1st Tall Wall Off Sunset In Offing
From: Jan Reichmann, President, Comstock Hills Homeowners Assoc., Los Angeles
I read your article about the Bev. Blvd. supergraphic tall sign and can totally sympathize.
We have been insulted with billboard blight and tall signs since the L.A. City Council signed their illegal settlement with the billboard companies. Stand firm and don’t let the dollars dictate the day.
Our community of Westwood has activists who support Coalition to Ban Billboard Blight and their enormous efforts. We attend hearings and file appeals. Unfortunately, the jury is still out on the issue.
Dear Editor, Re: Letters To The WeHo News Editor: Thursday, August 20, 2009
From: Mike Mooney, West Hollywood
Answering Mitch Geller, Watertown, MA (August 20, 2009): In my article I stated that I was the first competitive boxer who was “out” as a gay man when I competed. Mitch says that “it is really disingenuous for him to imagine that he can make that statement…” because “…that statement can’t be authenticated.” He’s right, of course.
And it doesn't really make that much difference who was the first out gay man who competed boxing, except from a historical perspective. I hope there were many more of us being frontrunners, regardless of who was first, second, third, tenth or fiftieth. Every one of us has made the world change a little bit.
I had no thought about it when I was doing it, but twenty-five years later, Terry Houlihan, who I knew about back when I was boxing, but had never met - and who currently runs Boxing on the Boulevard, a local boxing gym in our community, told me that I was the first when we finally met. Terry knows a lot of boxing people, gay and straight, all over the world over a long period of time. It was a nice thing to hear, but I’d never given it a thought before he told me. I guess it would be interesting to somehow put out the word nationally, or internationally and see if someone did it before I did it in 1976. Just for historical purposes.
Every one of us is a part of the new, better world we are creating, one where prejudices fall by the wayside, and our common humanity brings us together. And so the reason it’s somehow important that it happened at all is that someday when a kid walks in a boxing gym to put on the gloves and try their hand at it no one cares if they’re gay or straight.
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