A portion of the funds raised during his skate across the country will be donated to Natural High, a non-profit organization for the prevention of drug addiction

Renowned skateboarder Chad Caruso has kicked off a 3,000-mile journey across the United States, starting at the Venice Beach Skatepark on March 24. Caruso is an accomplished skateboarder and YouTuber with over 15 years of experience in the sport. He is also a stuntman and is embarking on this ambitious journey to set a new Guinness World Record.

However, this is not just about setting records; Caruso’s journey is aimed at raising awareness for mental health and youth addiction. A portion of the funds raised during his skate across the country will be donated to Natural High, a non-profit organization for the prevention of drug addiction. 

Skateboarding has been a crucial tool in Caruso’s recovery from a difficult period in his life.

“Without the vigor and concentration sobriety has allowed me to nurture, I wouldn’t have been able to attempt this skate across the country,” said Caruso. His journey serves as a platform for raising awareness about the importance of having something passionate to focus on in life,” Caruso said. 

Donations can be made on Caruso’s GoFundMe page.

Caruso’s epic voyage will culminate at Virginia Beach Oceanfront, VA, in time for the first stateside edition of JACKALOPE, the biggest sports action festival in Canada. The event will take place from June 2 to 4 and will feature hundreds of thrill-hungry athletes in competitions such as street skateboarding, bouldering, base jumping, skimboarding, freestyle motocross, and beach volleyball. 

The festival will also include an “off-the-chain” demo from Tony Hawk and his crew. Other luminaries attending include Mitchie Brusko, Collin Graham, Reese Nelson, Tom Schaar, Elliot Sloan, and Bucky Lasek.

Caruso will meet with skateboarders and fans along the way before completing his journey at the celebratory JACKALOPE Fest. The skateboarding community, fans, and supporters are encouraged to donate to his cause and join him in raising awareness about the importance of mental health and preventing youth addiction.

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Local food banks urge community support as Southern Californians face heightened food insecurity

Local food banks in Southern California are bracing themselves for a surge in demand as the emergency allotments and additional benefits under CalFresh, California’s version of the federal food stamps program, which ended March 26. This is likely to result in many recipients losing hundreds of dollars per month.

CalFresh currently serves over 1.5 million people in Los Angeles County and over 665,000 people in San Bernardino and Riverside counties. The average recipient is set to lose around $82 per month, while families could lose up to $200 per month.

With the ending of benefits, local area food banks are preparing for a potential “hunger cliff.” Rising costs for groceries, housing, and utilities in a volatile economy are putting more of a strain on the millions of Southern Californians that rely on CalFresh.

Westside Food Bank in Santa Monica is already unsure if it will be able to handle the anticipated increase in demand for food supplies. 

“With the loss of these pandemic-era benefits, we are facing a severe escalation in hunger,” said Westside Food Bank President and CEO Genevieve Riutort.

According to Westside Food Bank, they are already providing the equivalent of 1.7 million more meals than they were before the pandemic. The organization is urging the community to come together to help their neighbors in need during this difficult time.

Those who wish to donate to the Westside Food Bank can do so by clicking here. For those seeking food pantries near them, the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank website offers a directory of such pantries.

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$30 billion overhaul intended to address traffic and terminal access problems 

Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) is set to undergo a $30 billion improvement program in a bid to revamp the airport’s reputation for congestion and traveler inconvenience. As the fifth busiest airport in the world, LAX has a well-known reputation for bad traffic and difficulty getting in and out of terminals. The airport, however, has launched a massive overhaul of its terminals and transportation infrastructure in and around the airport.

One of the centerpieces of the airport’s $5.5 billion Landside Access Modernization Program (LAMP) is the Automated People Mover (APM). The APM will enhance the traveler experience and provide guests with time-certain access to terminals, as well as a long-awaited connection to the regional transportation system. The 30-year, $4.9 billion contract for the APM was the largest ever awarded in the City of Los Angeles’ history and the first Public Private Partnership (P3) contract at LAX. LAX Integrated Express Solutions (LINXS) was the joint venture selected to design, build, finance, operate, and maintain the project.

Construction began in March 2019, and the APM is expected to be operational in 2023. Pre-construction activities, such as utility relocations, geotechnical investigations, and surveying, began in 2018, and major construction activities are ongoing both inside and outside the Central Terminal Area (CTA). The electric train system features a 2.25-mile elevated guideway with six stations in total, three inside the CTA and three outside. The nine trains will run on the guideway during peak hours (9 a.m. to 11 p.m.), each with four cars, and be capable of carrying up to 50 passengers and their luggage, for a total of 200 passengers per train. Train speed will top out at 47 mph. For easy access, the APM trains will have large, wide doors with level boarding, and each car has 12 seats designated for travelers in need. The APM will be free for all users and will operate 24/7, and it is estimated that the APM will result in 117,000 fewer vehicle miles traveled per day.

Another major component of the LAMP is the Consolidated Rent-A-Car (ConRAC) facility. The facility will consolidate rental car operations currently spread across the surrounding area of LAX into one location conveniently located adjacent to the 405 freeway. The approximately 6.4-million-square-foot facility will house more than 18,000 rental car vehicles, including ready/return, idle storage, and employee parking spaces. The facility broke ground in September 2019 and topped off in concrete in July 2021. Scheduled to open in 2023, the ConRAC facility will provide a direct connection to LAX’s APM train system, eliminating more than 3,200 daily rental car shuttle trips on the surrounding streets and into and out of the CTA.

The Terminal Vertical Cores, which are essentially new front doors to terminals at LAX, are part of other terminal modernization projects. American Airlines is building a core between Terminals 4 and 5, two cores are being built at Terminals 2 and 3 as part of Delta Air Lines’ modernization, and Southwest Airlines has constructed the first core to open, located at the west end of Terminal 1. LAX is building three cores – at Tom Bradley International Terminal, between Terminals 5 and 6 (Terminal 5.5), and at Terminal 7 – with $490 million of construction. In addition to providing vertical circulation and connection to the APM system, these cores also provide space that can be used for offices, baggage claims and restrooms.

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Transfer tax and low interest rates contributing to decline in L.A. office sales

By Dolores Quintana

In the city of Los Angeles, on the eve of Measure ULA taking effect, office sales have dropped significantly in the first quarter of this year as reported by The Real Deal.com. The totals are $154 million versus the $659 million from the same period last year. These figures come from Yard Matrix, a firm that examines the data related to commercial real estate sales and research. The firm analyzed and tracks data for offices over 25,000 square feet. 

In addition to the drop in sales, the valuation of commercial real estate has also decreased from $420 per square foot in 2022 to $254 per square foot in 2023 about a 39 percent drop in value.  

The temptation would be to blame this drop on Measure ULA, but more than one city in the United States faces similar issues with valuation and commercial sales because of the increased difficulty of raising acquisition capital. In national totals, the amount of office sales has also plunged from last year’s total of $4.6 billion to this year’s receipts of $12 billion according to figures from Yard Matrix. 

The city government has admitted that it is likely that the first year of revenue under Measure ULA is likely to be less than hoped, but still, projections for the revenue is $672 million starting in July and ending on June 30, 2024 but has also factored in the national drop in sales into the equation. The original estimate of Measure ULA revenues was $900 million. Vacancy rates remain high in Los Angeles since the last quarter of 2023 when 27% of offices in Los Angeles were vacant according to CBRE, but these figures have remained high since the beginning of the pandemic.

Measure ULA is a tax created to help the city fund affordable housing projects and provide resources to tenants at risk of homelessness and levies a tax of 4% for properties conveyed over $5,000,000, but under $10,000,000, and 5.5% for properties conveyed at $10,000,000 or more.

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County Board of Supervisors votes down measure affecting landlords in unincorporated areas.

The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors voted against extending certain residential tenant protections for one year throughout the county after a lengthy public debate. 

The measures that failed to pass included a prohibition on landlords from evicting tenants without just cause and protection for tenants from eviction who have added extra occupants and/or pets during the COVID-19 pandemic. Another measure that would have capped rent increases by 3 percent or the year-over-year change in the local Consumer Price Index (CPI) for landlords in unincorporated areas also failed to pass.

Supervisors Hilda Solis and Lindsey Horvath voted in favor of the measures, while Supervisors Janice Hahn and Kathryn Barger voted against them. 

“If we are going to solve this crisis, we must stop the inflow of people falling into homelessness by keeping them in the housing they are already in,” Horvath said in a statement. 

Supervisor Holly Mitchell abstained from the. Hahn stated that extended protections for renters were fine a year ago, but with unemployment low and the COVID-19 pandemic abated, it was not the right time to impose more emergency regulations on the 88 cities in Los Angeles County nor place restrictions on landlords in unincorporated areas.

“At this point, I feel like for me, it feels like an overreach now to impose these on the incorporated cities,” Hahn said. 

Many tenants who face eviction or higher rents, joined renter rights groups in speaking in favor of the failed resolution. However, as reported by the LA Daily News, more than 20 speakers in opposition, including “mom and pop” landlords and representatives of apartment owner trade groups, argued that the resolution would have placed undue burdens on landlords.

As reported by the Daily News, statistics from 2019 showed that 55 percent of all renters in the county, about 989,000 households, spent more than 30 percent of their income on rent. Also, more than half of these households were “severely cost-burdened” and spent more than half of their income on rent.

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This is Tom Williams, your neighbor at 1011 Main Street.  With the upcoming VNC election this Sunday, I wanted to reach out to you all with my take on who is best for our community.

It goes without saying my family and I were severely impacted by the suspension of 41:18 during the pandemic.  It’s well documented the horror Ray White and Crystal Finely heaped upon the neighborhood for two years, after illegally parking their RV on Main Street. Specifically for me, one of the more painful and stressful periods was when I was sued in federal court by Mr. White and Ms. Finely under the RICO act.  The Mayor’s office, LAPD Pacific Division and (most importantly) Mike Bonin’s office all turned their backs on all of us. Nobody would help my family.  So, I had hired a private security company to respond to the multitude of legal and social violations they committed each day. Baseless or not, this was real, I was being sued for one million dollars.  

Scared and at a loss, Daffodil came to my rescue.  I mean that literally. Although Daffodil was harassed and threatened by certain VNC members, suggesting that standing up for me would create  a conflict of interest with her serving on the VNC, she refused to let me go it alone or pay tens of thousands of dollars defending myself (which I didn’t have). After two court appearances and many briefs filed, the court dismissed with prejudice. Daffodil was always there for me and my family to navigate all the emotional and legal ups and downs that come with this kind of litigation. On top of that, she did all of this pro bono, refusing to ever take a cent to this day.

Isn’t this the kind of person you want representing your interests in our neighborhood?  I was surprised and horrified to find out that her opponent Brian Averill sat on the VNC during the time we were being tortured by Mr. White and Ms. Finley.  That he voted against reinstating 41:18 and all the other measures that would have allowed relief for the neighborhood and help us live peacefully during and already incredibly difficult pandemic. 

Thank you for taking the time to read this.  See you around the neighborhood, and please vote for Daffodil  Tyminski this Sunday between 10:00am – 6:00 pm

Tom Williams  

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Proposition 22 exempted ride-share companies from certain labor laws, court rules in favor of the companies

By Sam Catanzaro

​​A California appeals court has ruled that ride-sharing apps like Uber and Lyft can continue to classify their drivers as independent contractors, overturning a lower-court decision that had barred them from doing so. 

The decision came March 13 after a group of ride-share drivers sought to strike down Proposition 22, which had been approved by California voters in November 2020. Proposition 22 created a set of criteria to determine whether ride-share drivers were employees or independent contractors. In practice, it exempted companies like Uber and Lyft from following certain minimum wage, overtime, or workers’ compensation laws for hundreds of thousands of Californian ride-share drivers. Instead, the ballot measure required companies to provide compensation and healthcare “subsidies” based on “engaged” driving time, as well as other benefits, including safety and sexual harassment training.

The ruling was seen as a victory for ride-sharing and delivery companies, with shares of Uber, Lyft, and Doordash. The companies had contributed over $181 million to the “Yes” campaign for Proposition 22, which passed with 58.6% of the votes in support. A California judge had ruled the proposition unconstitutional in 2021, arguing that it infringed the legislature’s power to set standards at the workplace. The state and a group representing the companies and other parties appealed that decision, and Monday’s ruling came down in their favor.

Lyft issued a statement expressing its pleasure at the decision, saying, “We are pleased that the court upheld the democratic will of the voters and the fundamentals of Prop 22. Prop 22 protects the independence drivers value and gives them new, historic benefits.” 

Uber chief legal officer Tony West also released a statement saying, “Today’s ruling is a victory for app-based workers and the millions of Californians who voted for Prop 22. Across the state, drivers and couriers have said they are happy with Prop 22, which affords them new benefits while preserving the unique flexibility of app-based work.”

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Two separate motions passed aimed to reduce recreational vehicle homelessness throughout Los Angeles

Los Angeles City Council has taken steps to address the issue of recreational vehicle (RV) homelessness in the city. Two motions were unanimously approved on Wednesday intended to reduce RV homelessness throughout the city. 

The first motion was presented by Councilwoman Nithya Raman, which directed various city departments to develop a comprehensive city-wide rehousing strategy for people experiencing RV homelessness. 

“One thing I really appreciate about this report is that it gives a big number, $141 million, that we need in order to build out some of these broader solutions like buy-back programs for decrepit RVs, storage programs for RVs that people want to store, setting up safe parking that actually accommodates our RVs, which would include 24-hour parking and potentially having the ability for people to plug in and connect to sewage,” Raman said.

“My district, like most Angelenos, (is) simply fed up with the status quo,” said CD 11 Councilwoman Traci Park. “In my district that includes environmental degradation like what is occurring at our environmentally sensitive habitat at Ballona Wetlands.”

“RVs’ garbage and debris on our sidewalks are chocking our roadways and creating dangerous conditions for motorists and pedestrians,” Park added.

The motion instructed staff to identify and secure appropriate interim shelter and housing for people living in RVs, create incentives for voluntary relinquishment of RVs used as dwellings, expand safe parking programs, and allocate necessary budgetary and staffing resources.

Councilwoman Raman noted that the city’s response to vehicular homelessness, particularly RVs, has been reactive and not focused on resolving the issue. The report presented by Raman includes a budget estimate of $141 million, which would be needed to build out broader solutions, such as buy-back programs for decrepit RVs, storage programs for RVs that people want to store, setting up safe parking that accommodates RVs, including 24-hour parking, and potentially having the ability for people to plug in and connect to sewage.

Brian Buchner, the city homelessness coordinator with the Office of the CEO, said that the city’s safe parking sites are not 24 hours, and the city is considering temporary and short-term RV storage. Councilwoman Traci Park hopes that outreach can help achieve the ultimate goal of moving people into permanent housing. Park added that RVs’ garbage and debris on sidewalks are choking roadways and creating dangerous conditions for motorists and pedestrians.

The second motion, presented by Councilwoman Monica Rodriguez, seeks to expand the Council District 7 RV pilot program citywide. The program was developed in collaboration with West Valley Homes YES, the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority, and LA Family Housing. It helped remove 34 RVs from the district and housed 44 individuals, with more than 70 people enrolled in the program and 26 people waiting to be enrolled.

Councilwoman Rodriguez stated that the city council adopted a process that will streamline efforts to create a more cost-effective and expedited approach to addressing the homelessness crisis on Los Angeles’ streets. The council will receive updates on the feasibility of expanding the District 7 RV pilot program citywide and a city-wide rehousing strategy for people experiencing RV homelessness.

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Federal lawsuit alleges John David Gessin used false pretenses to fund lavish expenses

By Sam Catanzaro

A Laguna Niguel man is accused of defrauding five investors, including a 92-year-old resident of Playa del Rey assisted-living center and her friends, out of $1.6 million, according to a lawsuit filed by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. 

The lawsuit alleges that John David Gessin allegedly presented himself as a successful entrepreneur and raised more than $1.2 million from the 92-year-old and $429,000 combined from the others on behalf of his companies, Equifunds and Ice Fleet, between March 2017 and January 2020.

Gessin purported that the companies were involved in commercial fueling and renewable energy operations. However, the SEC complaint alleges that Gessin used the funds to pay his mortgage and fund lavish expenses, including the purchase of automobiles, hotel stays, restaurant meals, and gifts for friends and family members.

Gessin allegedly used the alias “John David” to hide his real identity and his checkered past, which includes a criminal record and several bankruptcies. He was found liable for defrauding a high school teacher he met on Match.com out of her life savings, which he lost day-trading in the stock market, in 2010. He also has multiple default judgments against him for failure to repay loans and promissory notes, according to the lawsuit.

The SEC alleges that Gessin falsely told investors their funds would be used solely for business purposes and “not a dime” would be used for his personal benefit. However, he allegedly used Equifunds and Ice Fleet to pay his mortgage and fund personal expenses.

The retired nurse, who recently died, learned of investment opportunities with Gessin from other investors who lived in her Playa del Rey condominium community. Gessin took her to a refueling depot in Baldwin Park and falsely claimed that he had a contract with Pemex, the large petroleum company owned by the Mexican government, according to the lawsuit.

According to the SEC, the woman invested $200,000 in Equifunds in exchange for monthly interest payments at 24%. From December 2018 to January 2020, she made nine additional investments in Equifunds, each ranging from $100,000 to $200,000. Gessin allegedly made monthly interest payments to investors through early 2020 but then abruptly stopped in March of that year, prosecutors say. 

The lawsuit alleges that Gessin claimed that operations at his fueling depot in Baldwin Park had been disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic and payments would resume in a few months, according to the suit. However, the investors learned that the depot had been operating normally during the pandemic and that Gessin had no ownership interest in the facility. After the investors confronted him about his misrepresentations, Gessin cut off all contact with them and stopped replying to their messages and phone calls.

The SEC is requesting a court order requiring Gessin to pay undisclosed civil penalties. None of the investors were identified by the SEC.

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New wines and cocktails added to menu as well

By Dolores Quintana

Plant Food + Wine has a new menu for spring which includes such items as Asparagus with Charred Scallion and Miso-Tahini. On their Instagram page, they noted that “The garden is open and was buzzing last night. New wines, cocktails and spring menu additions happening now!”

We are still waiting for a comment from their chef, but the most obvious changes are the two new desserts listed on the menu, “Banana Cream Pie”, in quotation marks, and a Chocolate+Hazelnut tart with passionfruit. 

Their website talks about their ethos and says, “Plant Food + Wine is a Chef’s and a Restaurateurs dream. A space that combines all of the elements into one naturally beautiful space design for creative expression, enjoyment and ultimately sharing a great meal with friends, loved ones, or perhaps alone with a great book. It is so rare to have the opportunity to serve guests in a setting that allows us to grow some of our own ingredients, sit under olive and fig trees, highlight our sustainable wine in its own bungalow and surround the experience with all of the elements.”

“We are not a typical restaurant with a specific formula and concept. Instead, PFW is an organic, always-changing environment. Constantly being planted and pruned, modified with new pieces of natural and manmade art, an evolving menu, and even a few friendly squirrels, hummingbirds, and butterflies share in the experience with our guests. The one constant is our commitment to sourcing the best ingredients, constantly innovating, and providing our guests with a truly authentic and welcoming experience.”

Expect the unexpected with Plant, Food + Wine.

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Vote in-person at the Oakwood Recreation Center, 767 California Avenue. Polls open at 10:00 AM

By Nick Antonicello 

VENICE – Democracy begins here in Los Angeles at the grass roots level where Venetians will cast ballots for who will serve as the first line of local government on the Venice Neighborhood Council this Sunday (www.venicenc.org). 

Twenty-one board positions are up for grabs for a two-year term with 37 candidates seeking 13 positions as At-Large Community Officers along with the executive positions of President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer, LUPC (Land Use & Planning Committee) Chair, Communications Officer as well as Outreach Chair. 

The final position on the ballot is for Community Interest Officer. 

The race for President pits current Vice-President Daffodil Tyminski, a local attorney versus Brian Averill, a former board officer who two years ago lost a close contest for president against the current incumbent James Murez, who opted not to seek reelection, but run for Community Officer instead. Murez who ran with Tyminski two years ago has endorsed Averill as his successor. 

Averill is a surfer, photographer, author and 21-year Venice resident. 

The race for Vice-President is between current Communications Officer and Homeless Committee member Vicki Halliday, who is Tyminski’s

running-mate versus current two-term Community Officer Jim Robb, as Averill’s VP hopeful. Robb is a 30-year Venetian who serves a Chairman of the Oceanfront Committee of the VNC and Halliday is associated with the local website, The Westside Current, formerly known as The Venice Current. 

There are over 50 candidates in total and several incumbents are seeking reelection including Jay Handal for Treasurer, Sima Kostovetsky for Outreach Chair, Michael Jensen for LUPC Chair, and Alley Mills Bean, Clark Brown, Chie Lunn, CJ Cole, Soledad Ursua and Robert Thibodeau all seeking another term for At-Large Community officer. 

After nearly three years in ZOOM purgatory, the VNC will once again hold meetings live and in-person come the April meeting. 

Some members have served their entire time in office under COVID-19 restrictions compounded by severe homeless conditions around the community that included a deteriorating relationship with former council member Mike Bonin who was replaced in December by Venice local Traci Park, who has won over many locals with her quick and swift action regarding encampments that saw nearly 200 individuals offered indoor housing that ended tent living on Flower, Hampton and Third. 

Councilwoman Park is the first Venetian to serve on the LA City Council since the days of Ruth Galanter, and her alliance with new LA Mayor Karen Bass has resulted in swift and quick action on an issue like homelessness and encampments that is complex, difficult and slow to solve. 

Most, if not all of the VNC candidates seem to agree on one thing, and that is working hand-in-hand with the new Councilwoman who’s swift action on homelessness has been both admirable and impressive. 

So with new city leadership, Park has made it clear she wants to work with these local community officials that are mandated by the Los Angeles City Charter and play an influential role on land use issues as well as buffer between the local council office and the other neighborhoods that make-up CD-11. 

ZOOM discussion forums were held this week with the candidates when the location for an in-person event had to be canceled due to the LAUSD strike between school board members and the some 30,000 custodial workers and other part-time employees. The teacher’s union is honoring the picket line as of this writing. 

One does not need to run for a board position to get involved in the neighborhood council committee system that includes both standing and ad-hoc committees. 

To learn more about getting involved and joining a committee, e-mail the VNC at board@VeniceNC.org. 

If you applied for a ballot, you can drop it off on Sunday or simply opt to vote in-person. Please be sure to provide a photo ID as well as a utility bill or some other document that verifies you are a Venice stakeholder. 

Should you have any questions, e-mail Elections@VeniceNC.org

All board members serve as volunteers and Venice historically has a higher than normal turnout when compared to other councils. 

In 2021, nearly 2,000 Venice stakeholders casted voted in the depths of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

All pandemic restrictions have been waived for Sunday’s contests and all Venice residents are urged to come out and vote.

Nick Antonicello is covering the 2023 VNC elections for Yo! Venice. Have a take or a tip on all things Venice? E-mail him at nantoni@mindspring.com

The post Vote This Sunday in the Venice Neighborhood Council Election! appeared first on Yo! Venice!.

By Nick Antonicello 

VENICE – In a twist of events longtime Community Officer Jim Robb will now be seeking the position of Vice-President versus reelection, and has endorsed Brian Averill for President of the Venice Neighborhood Council (www.venicenc.org). 

Elected in 2019 and again in 2021, Robb has served the neighborhood as the chair of the Oceanfront Walk Committee where he tackled the issue of homelessness as well as “geo-fencing” in response to the plethora of scooter devices that while a source of convenience and mobility, were completely unregulated and a menace to many locals because of safety concerns and the way they were not being responsibly collected by the numerous approved, city vendors.

Robb was responsive in holding several committee meetings specific to the scooter controversy that resulted in successfully ending the random dropping off of these electric vehicles throughout the streets of Venice. 

A 38-year resident, Robb has seen the changes and transformation of Venice in particular neighborhoods such as the Abbot Kinney and Rose Avenue business districts. 

Robb is a fervent believer in retaining the character of Venice from a historical perspective, while building strong alliances with numerous city departments in the execution of his role as chair of the OFW Committee. Last summer Robb worked closely with LA’s Recreation & Parks Department to ensure that the lighting issue at the Venice Pier was corrected and credited city officials for a swift and speedy resolution that had left the pier dark for a moment. 

Robb prides himself on what he calls “open, egalitarian representation and transparency,” and his known for running a productive committee meeting where solutions are discussed in an open forum.

Robb is married to his wife Shannon for four years and dated for the prior 13. 

Jim has resided in several different locations in Venice and around the boardwalk since 1986. 

Employed as a California State Manager for numerous liquor companies as their sales representative, Jim is also is the owner of his own Tequila brand that is a work in progress. 

Robb has been in the spirits industry for more than three decades. 

Originally from Wyoming, Robb is a graduate of Santa Monica College and recently received a certification in Project Management from Cal-State LA. A well-known local with food and beverage retailers due to his long resume of service to distillers and bar owners here in Venice and the rest of greater Los Angeles. 

Jim, like Brian Averill is a supporter of new Councilwoman Traci Park, as he sees her as the best hope for reviving Oceanfront Walk and Venice in general back to pre-COVID success. 

“Like Brian, Traci is the kind of positive go-getter that Venice needs at this moment. She has the kind of enthusiasm that is contagious and if successful in this campaign, I will gladly be part of her team in moving Venice forward. I think Traci and Brian will work perfect together and I want to be a part of that positive change,” offered Robb. 

Jim stressed that he wants to ensure that Brian’s presidency is productive, and what makes him the best choice is that he has the roots in the community to draw from. 

“I’m in contact on a daily basis with so many business and retail owners here in Venice and what they seek is a listener of their concerns as we edge out of the pandemic. Those who have met Brian like him, and as you know people want to work with those who display a positive energy. That’s the kind of local leadership that builds alliances and coalitions versus the divisiveness we have witnessed for all too long. Brian is the uniter, and not a divider,” says Robb. 

While not running on a formal slate of candidates, Jim is also endorsing Helen Fallon for the position of Treasurer. 

“Helen is a longtime resident of Venice and has an institutional memory of this community. I can’t think of a more qualified candidate to manage the board’s finances.” 

Jim believes this election is crucial to the community’s long-term success and future. 

“I’m running again not just to serve, but to ensure everyone is heard, and with Brian as our new local leader, I’m confident he has the resume, credentials, and connections that will make Venice strong and proud,” 

To lean more about Jim Robb, visit his candidate website at www.1venice.com

Nick Antonicello is covering the March 26^th elections for the Venice Neighborhood Council. For more information about voting, contact elections@venicenc.org. Have a take or a tip on Venice? E-mail Antonicello at nantoni@mindspring.com

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The COVID-19 pandemic drastically changed the way we live our lives, and one of the most significant impacts has been on the restaurant industry. With indoor dining restrictions and safety concerns, many restaurants shifted their focus to outdoor dining options, facialtied by cities streamlining the permitting process for Al Fresco set ups. These expanded outdoor dining options provided a way for restaurants to continue operating while adhering to social distancing guidelines. With pandemic restrictions being lifted now, municipalities – including Santa Monica and LA – are passing and proposing ordinances that require new permit applications and fees for restaurants hoping to maintain their outdoor dining. In this survey, we would like to know your thoughts on whether you have enjoyed these expanded outdoor dining options and if elected officials should remove barriers to help keep these areas open.

The post Do You Think Outdoor Dining Should Be a Permanent Option? Take the Survey and Share Your Opinion appeared first on Yo! Venice!.

Superfine Playa set to open Thursday at Runway Playa Vista

Playa Vista, California is set to welcome a new dining option this week, as veteran restaurant duo Dina and Steve Samson open Superfine Playa in the former Bull & Butterfly space. 

Departing from the traditional Northern Italian Downtown menu at Rossoblu, their now-shuttered Sotto, and casual walk-up window Superfine Pizza, Superfine Playa presents a California-meets-Italy osteria by the beach. The Samsons took over the space from Lemonade founders Heidi and Alan Jackson, who opened Bull & Butterfly in the fall of 2020 and closed it in late 2022.

Chef Mo Marvel, who previously held a sous chef position at Rossoblu, will lead the Superfine Playa kitchen with Steve. Starters include grilled meatballs, bigeye tuna crudo, Sicilian wedding soup, and coal-roasted beet salad. Housemade pasta like spaghetti quadrati with baby tomatoes, olive oil, and basil, and main dishes such as a grilled heritage pork chop and brick-pressed half chicken are also on the menu. The cocktail and beer selection was developed by Honey House pop-up’s Ella Zoller, with James Saidy consulting with Dina Samson on the wine list.

The space, located at the Runway in Playa Vista at 12746 W. Jefferson Boulevard, was redesigned by JoyPop Studio and can accommodate 86 indoor diners and 40 on the patio. Native plants from the surrounding Ballona Wetlands were placed throughout the property by Sunmonsters.

While diners will have to wait for pizza as the health department has yet to clear Superfine Playa’s pizza oven, when approved, Steve will serve a hybrid of New York and Neapolitan-style pies. 

Superfine Playa will operate Wednesday, Thursday, and Sunday from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m., and weekend brunch service from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., starting on March 22, 2023.

The post Superfine Playa Brings California-Italy Fusion Cuisine to Playa Vista with New Osteria by the Beach appeared first on Yo! Venice!.

Legislation would preempt local ordinances and preserve regulatory flexibility for struggling neighborhood restaurants

By Sam Catanzaro

A new bill proposed by California Assemblymember Jesse Gabriel (D-Woodland Hills) could offer relief to restaurants struggling to maintain outdoor dining amid new fees being imposed and proposed by municipalities including Santa Monica and Los Angeles. 

“Neighborhood restaurants are the backbone of communities across California, but too many are barely hanging on by a thread,” said Assemblymember Jesse Gabriel. “Outdoor dining has been a critical lifeline that has helped these beloved establishments keep their doors open during these challenging times.”

Assembly Bill 1217 would extend the benefits of state and local programs, such as L.A. Al Fresco, which streamlined the application process and waived fees for restaurants and bars that had to move dining outside due to indoor seating restrictions. The proposed bill would supersede city and county ordinances that require new permit applications and fees for restaurants hoping to maintain their Al Fresco program setups, offering much-needed relief to the industry.

“Outdoor dining has become an important lifeline for restaurants, and it’s something that we have all come to love and enjoy,” stated Madelyn Alfano, Past Chair of the California Restaurant Association Board of Directors and owner of Maria’s Italian Kitchen, a neighborhood Italian restaurant locations across Los Angeles including in Brentwood and Westwood. “Many restaurant owners have invested lots of money to build beautiful outdoor dining spaces to increase their capacity for private events and recoup some of their losses from these difficult past few years. AB 1217 will help sustain this crucial tool and allow local restaurants such as my own to continue to provide delicious meals for our communities.”

This new bill builds on a previous measure, AB 61, authored by Gabriel and signed into law by Governor Newsom in 2021. AB 61 allowed restaurants to have more regulatory flexibility on various issues, such as outdoor food preparation and service, using their own spaces to increase outdoor dining capacity, and serving alcohol on outdoor premises.

If passed, the proposed bill would extend current temporary relief measures, such as conditional use permits for outdoor dining expansion and parklet conversion to al fresco seating, offering more permanence to the restaurant industry amid uncertainties and additional pandemic-induced operating costs.

AB 1217 comes at a crucial time as the City of Los Angeles has proposed a new ordinance that will introduce new restrictions and fees on outdoor dining, requiring restaurants to apply for expensive new permits for existing patios. Should AB 1217 be passed, it would preempt this ordinance and help local restaurants avoid costly and confusing red tape to keep their outdoor dining operations open. Similarly, restaurants in Santa Monica have been pushing back against the new permitting officials have implemented in the city.  

“It definitely feels like it’s the end of an era right now,” said Brian Bornemann, chef and founder of sustainable seafood restaurant Crudo e Nudo on Main Street an interview with the Santa Monica Mirror last month. “It’s the opposite to helping small businesses. They’re trying to penalize you at all costs.” 

Although the bill is in its nascent stages, Gabriel expects a hearing in the coming weeks. Should the bill pass the assembly, it could be moved to Gov. Gavin Newsom around September, with the governor determining whether to sign the bill and others into law during the fall.

The post California Lawmaker Proposes Bill to Offer Relief to Restaurants Struggling With Outdoor Dining Fees appeared first on Yo! Venice!.

By Nick Antonicello

VENICE – It has been an interesting two years of political action, involvement and advocacy for Nico Ruderman, who while was a primary force behind the recall of former council member Mike Bonin, squeezed in a run for an open seat in the California legislature while serving the community as a Community Officer on the Venice Neighborhood Council.

A husband, father and homeowner whose wife is a physician, Ruderman has been “all in” politically speaking these last 24 months as he participated as an chief organizer and candidate for public office for the first time.

While the 2021 Bonin Recall effort came up short with the certification of some 95% of the signatures required, the ultimate goal of removing Bonin from office became self-evident as the shockingly high number of signatures collected at the end of the day drove Bonin from the race in January of 2022 leading the way to a new council member and the election of Venice attorney Traci Park last November, the first Venetian to serve on the LA City Council since the days of Ruth Galanter.

Once the recall ended and the race for city council commenced, Autumn Burke who had served Venice in the California Assembly resigned opening up an opportunity in the newly reapportioned 62nd AD and Ruderman took a chance and extended his involvement from grass roots advocate to a candidate for the legislature.

While the race was compacted into a short window to fill the unexpired term, Ruderman stayed true to the issues of homelessness encampments, crime and education as it was the latter that originally peeked his interest here in Venice as the father of a school-age son. Not a party operative or insider, Ruderman positioned himself as an outsider and independent voice in a race where politics, endorsements and name recognition prevailed.

A 17-year resident of Venice, Ruderman is originally from Colorado and has also lived in New York before settling on Dogtown. A graduate of the University of Colorado with a BS in Architectural Engineering, Ruderman is an  independent business owner specializing in sound mixing and is also a union member.

His time on the VNC has been interesting as he positioned himself on many issues straight in the middle, a clear moderate who kept to his core concerns when it came to homelessness, crime and quality-of-life, community concerns.

We spoke with Ruderman over the phone and he was gracious enough to answer some questions regarding his race for community officer where he is running unopposed and will be a member of the VNC for a second term of office.

We extended the conversation to the issues now and moving forward as he prepares to serve Venice once again:

You have served a term as a VNC Community Officer, spearheaded the Bonin recall and ran for the state legislature since the last time we spoke. The political bug has certainly bitten you. Tell us how those three experiences impacted you and what parts were memorable and others disappointing? 

The last three years have been quite eye-opening. I had the wool pulled from my eyes, and now can see better as to how the government actually functions. As we discussed the first time we spoke, my interest in involvement grew out of extreme frustration and anger at the state of things in our neighborhood, around our schools, in our city, and in our state. Under Bonin, and other failures in power, Venice was on a rapid downward spiral, each day an event worse than the day before. We were surrounded by danger, fires, and seemingly never-ending tragedy. Constant fires, crime, and chaos. Sex trafficking and drug tourism brought travelers to our front doors, constantly escalating the problem. People living and dying on the streets being used for graft and ideological political posturing, without anyone in power actually helping them. Venice made international news for all the wrong reasons, and it created an open door to people around the world that Venice is the place to live on the streets. Writing all of this, it sounds sensationalistic even to me. If you weren’t living in Venice during that time you couldn’t possibly believe or understand just how bad it got, as was evident by the op-eds written by those not living here, calling one of the most welcoming communities in the country a bunch of NIMBY’s. There were a lot of turning points during that time, RV fires, chaos and crime on Rose in East Venice, mine was meth lab RV’s by my son’s school. But I think one of the most significant events that woke up and angered this community was when the poor puppy Togo perished in a fire and our neighbor lost her home. A lot of folks in that neighborhood believe the fire was intentionally started by drug dealers living in an RV a block away. 

What came out of this time period was indeed both positive and disappointing experiences. I was fortunate to meet so many people along the way. I met and spoke to thousands of people across CD11 and AD62, and made quite a few new friends along the way in every part of these districts. I am thankful for the partners across CD11 who made it all possible. I am grateful that I got to know and become friends with the other candidates for the assembly race, all of whom have so much to offer. Even though Bonin wasn’t officially recalled, the recall campaign itself was a success, something which my friend Katrina and I are both extremely proud of. We worked thousands of hours, didn’t sleep, stressed about raising enough money, and dealt with lies about our campaign and character. But in the end we forced a very powerful politician who was hurting our community out of office. I do now regret not pushing forward with a challenge to the signature results, because we did in fact easily have enough signatures to put the recall on the ballot. Katrina and I spent weeks at the City Clerk’s office reviewing all of the discarded signatures, and after our audit, I can say with 100% certainty that well over 30,000 registered CD11 voters did in fact sign to fire Mike Bonin. Not only do I believe we would have prevailed in court over the technicalities used to discard, but there were a lot of signatures that were in fact wrongly thrown out even without those technicalities. At the time it seemed like the best choice for CD11 to not continue, and it allowed Traci Park , Jim Murez, and Allison Polhill (who were all strong supporters of the Recall) to stop worrying about supporting the recall or the possibility of two elections, and just focus on their own campaigns. With Bonin dropping out, it brought a lot of new candidates in. In hindsight, it may have been better to continue the recall so that there was no possibility of incoming Mayor Karen Bass appointing Bonin to anything. But I hope that our new mayor has heard the people of CD11, and keeps Bonin on the sidelines where he belongs.

This time you are running as Communications Officer unopposed. Why Communications Officer and what specific items do you want to accomplish in this new capacity?

Vicki Halliday has been our communications officer and has done an amazing job. When she told me she was running for VP I decided to run. She has always supported me which I am thankful for, and as a new VNC member she was one of the people I looked up to the most. She has worked tirelessly for this community and I definitely have some gigantic shoes to fill. 

One of the best things to come out of COVID was having meetings on ZOOM. It has allowed people who may not be able to make some, or all of the meetings in person to still participate in what goes on in our neighborhood. Personally, I have been able to be more involved, attending meetings even while at or traveling for work. Because of online meetings, I have had a near perfect attendance record. At the same time, there is definitely a lot lost in translation without in person meetings. A sense of community is lost somehow. I look forward to returning to in-person, but I am hoping the state amends the Brown Act in a way that allows for hybrid meetings for Neighborhood Councils. This is a volunteer council that should be accessible to everyone in our community, regardless of health, employment status or requirements, family commitments or obligations, ability to leave ones home, or comfort being in crowds. Now that the technology exists for people to attend these meetings virtually, it is discriminatory to not offer a hybrid model. As communications officer, I plan to lobby for an inclusive hybrid model, and work to create the most effective system for us, allowing for as much active participation from all of Venice as possible. I have seen very effective hybrid meetings, including my local union meetings, and hope to model those successes.

With a new Mayor and Councilmember comes new leadership and opportunity. How has this new city leadership impacted Venice thus far and what proposals and ideas would you like to see moved forward in your new role too? 

The initial impact of new administrations of both the Council District 11 and the Mayor’s Office was almost instant. Within weeks, hundreds of people living on the streets were brought in off of the streets. Those living on the streets have been housed, mostly in hotels for now I believe, and from what I understand have been provided services.  Within a few days, Hampton, 3rd, and Flower were cleared, and are still clear.  There is still a lot of work to do, but it has definitely started on the right course. Going forward, I would like to see our neighborhoods be preserved, and for the containment zone to be ended. I would like to see businesses be supported, they are a huge part of what makes our community thrive. I would like to see LA Recreation Center sports leagues for kids be supported and grown to pre-COVID levels. Public Rec centers have always made sports accessible to all children, now they are struggling and a lot of programs just don’t have the numbers they used to have, so some sports just aren’t happening anymore. There is a lot to do to recover from both COVID and the homelessness crisis that have both plagued Venice. Another thing I will push for is to have a count done of existing public parking in Venice so we know how much more parking needs to be added to get preferential parking. We are the only coastal community in the area that allows both oversize vehicle parking, and doesn’t have preferential parking for residents. We have a lot to do.

You know Traci Park well. How will that relationship improve things here in Venice? 

I have gotten to know Traci over this time period. I consider her a friend, have supported her since the beginning, think very highly of her, and still have a Traci Park sign up in my yard. After Bonin doxed us, and Katrina’s house was attacked, she called to offer up her home to us. When months later my house was attacked, she again offered, because that’s the kind of person she is. She started her little engine that could campaign at the same time Katrina and I started the Recall. Nobody believed either campaign would actually succeed, probably including the three of us, but in the end they both were wildly successful, merging into a simultaneous movement to save CD-11. 

In the very beginning,Traci was strongly encouraged by those around her at the time not to support us or the recall, but she didn’t listen to that advice. Every single event she held, she put in a word for the recall and gathered signatures. Erin Darling claimed she ran the “Right-Wing Recall” any chance he got, which was laughable. She didn’t have time because she was running her own campaign 24-hrs a day. During this time period, Traci and I spent hundreds of hours talking, commiserating, and encouraging each other. It is a time period I will always look fondly on, and also hope to never repeat. Traci built her campaign on extensive outreach to the community, transparency, and a promise to listen and do what’s right. She attended a lot of neighborhood and community council meetings across the district, and rarely missed a VNC meeting. Venice definitely deserves way better than it has gotten from the city in recent years. My hope both personally, and as a VNC Board Member, is to continue to foster that relationship, and work with the Council Office to keep Venice on the right path, and to obtain the resources that we need.

Do you have any plans to run for higher office again?

I never had plans to run in the first place. My political ambitions grew out of frustration and opportunity. If the right opportunity came I would consider running again, but I am not seeking it out.

Who are you supporting for President of the VNC and why? 

This has been an interesting race. I consider both candidates to be friends of mine, and I respect them both a lot. I have been saddened by Venice dividing again after a period of coming together with nasty attacks on both candidates. I am happy to weigh in on any other race, but this one I may not even vote in personally. We have two people with some stark differences ideologically, but at the end of the day, I feel like either one would be a great leader who keeps the entire Venice community in their hearts. I know that statement will anger people in both camps, but it is honestly how I feel.

Does Venice have an image problem and what can you do to improve the community’s overall brand? 

Yes. Bad news has been the only news about Venice worldwide for the last few years. It is unfortunate because Venice is a worldwide tourist destination. Unfortunately it has become a containment zone, by design, which has had a huge negative impact. Now that things are starting to get better here, I hope the city spends some money on PR to repair the image that was destroyed by past city administrations.

What can be done to influence the future of Bridge Housing and Median projects? Do you think the City of LA and the CCC listen to community concerns? 

That’s the million dollar question at the moment. So far since the facility opened, neither the city nor Metro has not listened to community concerns at all, which is why we are in the situation we are in. All input fell on deaf ears under the Bonin/Garcetti era. My hope is that community impact and input become the heaviest factor in weighing these decisions going forward. All we can do is to keep pushing Metro, the City, and CCC to take the community into account, and to listen to us. I am a big proponent for local community input and control over development, something that Venice has not had recently.

Quality of life remains a high concern by most. What can the VNC do to make our overall community quality of life better? 

Engagement. There is a lot of work that is done through committees that have made and continue to make a huge impact. Look at what the Arbor Committee has done for example. They have groups of volunteers out every weekend planting trees and native plants throughout Venice beautifying the neighborhood, and working to restore our urban canopy one tree at a time. The best thing that the VNC can do to improve quality of life is to have a council that both engages and informs the community.

What is your vision for Venice at Oceanfront Walk? What can be done to bring back commerce, tourism and visitation? 

I would like to see Oceanfront Walk have a renaissance, and become the amazing venue that it has the potential to be. We need more events to draw people in. Concerts, sporting events, the Olympics, etc. While I hope Venice is able to maintain what is left of it’s grit, artistic expression, and edginess, it also needs to be a safe place to walk 24 hrs a day. I’d love to be able to enjoy the nightlife of the Boardwalk with friends without the fear for my safety.  I’d love to see local businesses survive and thrive. Let’s make the “Venice of America” that Abbott Kinney envisioned.

Nick Antonicello is a longtime Venetian covering the March 26th VNC election to be held at the Oakwood Recreation Center where in-person voting will take place. For more information about the election, e-mail Elections@VeniceNC.org. Have a take or tip on all things Venice? E-mail Antonicello at nantoni@mindspring.com

The post Venice Shorts: Running Unopposed, Nico Ruderman’s Deep Dive Into Politics and Government Continues! appeared first on Yo! Venice!.

High school students from 16 different schools in California’s 36th District submitted 206 pieces of art, with Mia Fienberg from Beverly Hills High School winning first place for her piece titled “Contaminated”

By Sam Catanzaro

Congressman Ted W. Lieu (D-Los Angeles County) recently hosted the ninth annual Congressional Art Competition reception for his congressional district at the Otis College of Art and Design. The event saw participation from students of 16 different high schools, who submitted 206 pieces of art for the competition. The submissions included 70 photographs, 50 paintings, 41 drawings, 31 mixed-media pieces, and 13 other pieces that included computer-generated art. Mia Fienberg, a student at Beverly Hills High School, won the competition with her piece titled “Contaminated.” 

The Congressional Art Competition is open to all high school students residing or attending school in California’s 36th District. The winning artwork will be displayed in the U.S. Capitol for one year along with the winning artworks from other Congressional districts across the country. The winner will also receive a trip to Washington D.C. in June to be recognized at an awards ceremony if safety permits. The second and third-place winners will have their artwork displayed for one year in the Congressman’s D.C. and District offices.

The participants received scholarships, and the first, second, and third-place winners, along with the honorable mentions, were awarded certificates and a swag bag. Congressman Lieu expressed his appreciation for the hard work of the students and the teachers who guided them, and he congratulated the winners for their artistic skills and creativity.

“Los Angeles County is home to some of the most talented and creative students, and I was delighted to see so many unique and skillful entries in this year’s competition. Each year I am always blown away by the creativity that is displayed in the students’ artwork; this year was no exception,” Rep. Lieu said. “Walking by the Congressional Art Competition exhibit in the U.S. Capitol brings joy to my day. I am excited to see Mia’s artwork hanging in the exhibit representing our district.”

The Congressional Art Competition has been a platform for recognizing young artistic talent across the country. Congressman Lieu’s annual event has become a tradition in California’s 36th District, and it provides an opportunity for high school students to showcase their artwork, receive recognition for their talent, and earn scholarships to support their future artistic endeavors.

The post Otis College Hosts Congressman Ted W. Lieu’s Ninth Annual Congressional Art Competition Reception appeared first on Yo! Venice!.

Avid surfer, author and photographer makes second try for the VNC’s top spot after falling short in 2021

By Nick Antonicello 

VENICE – It was “close but no cigar” for Brian Averill two years ago when he lost a tight race to current VNC incumbent James Murez, the veteran Venice Farmer’s Market Manager and longtime fixture here in the community. 

In that four-ray contest, Averill finished a close second and Murez received just a shade under 50% of the vote in a turnout of nearly 2,000 stakeholders. 

This time it will be a two-person affair between Averill and current Vice-President Daffodil Tyminski, who ran as Murez’s running-mate in 2021. 

Murez is not seeking reelection, but rather opted to run for community officer instead and has thrown his support for president behind Averill. 

Brian is running with the popular Jim Robb as his vice-president, who has never lost a VNC contest while Tyminski is running with current Communications Officer Vicki Halliday, who works for the website known as the Westside Current, formerly doing business as the Venice Current. 

Averill sees this year’s election as a “fresh start” for Venice as we will have in-person VNC meetings once again beginning April 18^th as COVID restrictions come to a close. For Averill, “unity and moving forward” are important themes to his candidacy as he shies away from politics, special-interests and the divisive actions of the past that have hampered and plagued this particular neighborhood council for too long.

Despite being unsuccessful in his prior presidential bid, Averill has remained committed and engaged locally with his service on the Oceanfront Walk and Outreach Committees of the VNC while working as a founding member of the Venice Surfing Association and the Venice Boardwalk Action Committee where the VBAC helped implement the proposal used by LA city officials to house those encamped at the boardwalk. Brian served as a member of Councilwoman Traci Park’s policy team during her campaign and believes as president that creating an atmosphere of civility and straight-forward processes is the best way to provide the kind of community leadership all Venetians demand and expect. 

I spoke with Brian about his candidacy and his goals and objectives should he be successful in this race to lead Venice on the Neighborhood Council: 

You worked hard on the homeless situation here in Venice. What did you do to assist in this complicated and complex crisis?

Throughout 2020, the conditions at the beach and boardwalk had declined rapidly on multiple levels. Looking around, we saw understandably angry residents yelling at our city officials and our city officials not really doing much of anything. But nobody on either side seemed to be proposing any sort of strategy or solution, so in 2021, while still on the VNC, I formed the Venice Boardwalk Action Committee with 5 incredible neighbors. We decided to focus our efforts on Oceanfront Walk and we got to work. We learned about the different jurisdictions on OFW and the beach, we did tent counts, we had dozens of zooms with city and county officials, LAPD, and service providers. We then drafted a concise step-by-step proposal to prioritize the encampments on OFW for any available supportive housing in LA. We sent it to city and county officials & the media. The LA Times responded first, and city officials followed soon thereafter. After a few rounds of finger-pointing, we finally brought the city and county teams to the table together and met with every department and the service providers every Thursday for months until OFW was finally cleared. The course of this saga was well-documented by multiple press outlets, including the LA Times,The Wall Street Journal, and Bloomberg if anyone wanted to learn more about the entire effort (links can be found at www.1venice.com). 

You were an early supporter of Councilwoman Traci Park. How will you strengthen the VNC’s relationship with CD11? 

My relationship with Councilmember Park is excellent. I was a member of her policy team during the campaign and we touch base on a fairly regular basis. She’s also been an outstanding supporter of our Venice Surfing Association from the beginning. I’ve had discussions with her about how the VNC and CD11 would function together if I’m elected. I’m genuinely excited for what I feel will be a very healthy, positive, productive partnership.

Strategically speaking, this time it’s a two-person campaign between you and your opponent. Is that to your advantage?

I guess we’ll find out on Election Day, but I’d imagine it makes the decision much easier, especially given the very obvious differences between us.

Compare and contrast your candidacy with that of your opponent.

I genuinely love this neighborhood and its culture, I make a real effort to hear as many points of view as possible, and I believe in public service. Everything I do on a community level comes from a desire to help this neighborhood come together and be the best version of itself. I think finding our collective common ground is tremendously important and it ultimately makes us stronger as a community. Respectfully, I just don’t see any of this from my opponent. I also think the tone of the current neighborhood council is remarkably uncivil and grossly inefficient. We need to do much better on both fronts.

You are not running a slate of candidates. Why have you chosen a more independent route to the presidency?

It’s become pretty obvious that running slates will never get us the best of Venice, and that’s really what we want, isn’t it? Slates mostly benefit the executive candidates at the expense of the officers. Newer candidates are excited when they’re asked to join a slate, but might not totally understand who really benefits from it. I feel it’s often disingenuous.

Will there be a debate or some kind of discussion forum between the presidential candidates? 

The VNC has candidate forums on the 22nd and 23rd. Aside from that, I’d be more than happy to debate anytime/anywhere, schedules permitting.

Venice is a diverse community. How will your leadership provide the unity that seems lacking to date? 

I have very solid relationships with neighborhood leaders all across Venice and I think a huge part of this job is really just about being a good listener and translating their concerns into realistic, actionable motions we can pass on to city departments. When people genuinely feel heard, it’s far more conducive to building consensus and neighborhood unity.

Two-thirds of the Venice community are tenants. What is your position on rent stabilization?

I’m a supporter of rent stabilization. It allows people to budget for their future, set down community roots, and become a productive part of the neighborhood fabric without having sudden astronomic rent increases that force them to move. I think we need to prioritize the protection and creation of workforce housing in general. When most people who work in a neighborhood can’t afford to live there, the community is out of balance.

Are there any candidates for specific offices you are endorsing and why? 

My friend Jim Robb is running for Vice President. He’s chaired the OFW committee for the last 4 years and he’s an honest, genuinely kind person who’s done a ton of great work in this neighborhood. I’d also like to mention Helen Fallon, who’s running for treasurer. She attends more meetings and does more work than most actual board members. She understands the council BY-LAWS better than anyone I know and she holds people accountable. As far as community officers, I ran with Alley Bean, Erica Moore and Jason Sugars during the last election and I know they’re all honest, intelligent, very hard-working people who really love this neighborhood and are running for the right reasons. Overall, I’d recommend choosing candidates who are already doing great work in the neighborhood (like new candidate Dillon Chapman’s VBFC for example) because in my experience, they tend to become the most productive, committed, cooperative board members.

I strongly encourage everyone to do their candidate research. Remember, we all want Venice cleaner and safer. That’s a given. But people run for many different reasons, and not all of them are community-first. Do your homework.

Public safety is always a concern. How will you build a relationship with our public safety partners at LAPD? 

I already know quite a few of our LAPD Pacific Division leaders. When we spearheaded the Boardwalk Encampment project, we worked very closely with both Captain Embrich and Senior Lead Officer Contreras, with weekly meetings throughout the entire spring and summer of 2021. It was an eye-opener and a great education as to how the different city departments function together and it gave us a great deal of insight as to how we could best support our LAPD partners.

Are you involved in any other community work? 

As I mentioned above, I’m a founding board member of the Venice Surfing Association. We organize contests, beach cleanups, and events, all centered around coastal protection. We’re coming up on our one-year anniversary and we currently have about 450 members. We’ve already partnered with dozens of great local Venice businesses, including Arbor, the Waterfront, and the Hotel Erwin. We’re blown away by all the community support so far and super excited for the coming year.

What makes you the better choice for Venice?

Hopefully all of the above. We’ve undeniably had a very tough few years here in this community. But we’re coming out of the pandemic, local businesses are starting to bustle again, crime rates are dipping, and we’ve got a new Councilmember. This is the dawn of a new era here in Venice. We’re also about to elect a new VNC, so let’s leave the negativity and inefficiency behind and make it as positive, productive, and cooperative as possible. We can do this. I strongly encourage everyone in this neighborhood to come out and vote on Sunday March 26th at the Oakwood Recreation Center between 10AM-6PM. For more information on the election, e-mail: Elections@VeniceNC.org

For more information about Brian Averill, visit www.1venice.com

Nick Antonicello is covering the VNC elections scheduled for March 26^th at the Oakwood Recreation Center located in the heart of Venice at 767 California Avenue. Have a take or a tip on all things Venice? Contact him via e-mail at nantoni@mindspring.com. Be sure to bring a photo ID to the voting location.

The post Venice Shorts: One-on-One With VNC Presidential Candidate Brian Averill appeared first on Yo! Venice!.

Natural History Museum and La Brea Tar Pits provide free admission during three-day strike, Los Angeles Zoo and Botanical Gardens also offering free admission.

Two of Los Angeles’ most prominent institutions of learning have announced free admission for students and chaperones of the Los Angeles Unified School District during the planned three-day strike.

The Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County in Exposition Park and La Brea Tar Pits in Hancock Park stated that LAUSD students and their chaperones can take advantage of free admission starting Tuesday. However, free general admission does not include the Butterfly Pavilion and Dinosaur Encounters at NHM. Additionally, the Ice Age Encounters and screening of ‘Titans of the Ice Age 3D’ require an extra ticket for purchase at the La Brea Tar Pits.

The Los Angeles Zoo and Botanical Gardens has also offered free admission for K-12 students currently enrolled in LAUSD.

The district announced on Monday that schools would be closed Tuesday due to the strike. Workers joined picket lines amid rain on Tuesday morning.

Free admission tickets are available only at the ticket counters of both museums.

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Two-mile long 54-inch force sewer main will operate as a parallel system in conjunction with the existing 48-inch force main

Los Angeles Councilwoman Traci Park and other City Officials gathered last Thursday to celebrate the inauguration of the Venice Dual Force Main Sewer Project.

The Venice Dual Force Main Sewer Project is a new two-mile long 54-inch force sewer main that will operate as a parallel system in conjunction with the existing 48-inch force main. This pipeline provides system redundancy, increases capacity, and allows for inspection and repair of both pipelines as needed.

“I’m excited to celebrate the completion of the Venice Dual Force Main Sewer; with so much of the city’s plumbing infrastructure aging and dealing with the strains of our cities growth, projects like this are essential,” Park said. “I commend the work that LASAN has done in making this project a reality and their commitment to further advancing infrastructure improvements on the Westside.”

The new sewer pipe starts from the Venice Pumping Plant in Venice at Hurricane Street and Canal Court. It then continues to Marquesas Way and Via Dolce crossing the Venice canal, traveling eastward along Marquesas Way to Via Marina, to continue south along Via Marina to the Marina del Rey Channel.

“Part of LASAN’s commitment to protecting public health and the environment includes upgrading and maintaining the aging portions of our infrastructure,” said Barbara Romero, LASAN General Manager, “Replacing this 60-year-old sewer line will help prevent overflow during peak wet weather conditions.”

The sewer pipeline proceeds underneath the channel to Playa del Rey at Pacific Avenue and 62nd Avenue. Once in Playa del Rey, the pipe continues southbound on Pacific Avenue, crossing Culver Boulevard to Vista del Mar. On Vista del Mar, the pipeline continues to a connection point at Vista del Mar and Waterview Street. 

“Aging infrastructure is a ticking time bomb that poses serious public health risks to communities across the country,” said Tracy Quinn, CEO of Heal the Bay. “We are grateful that the City of Los Angeles has made this important investment to protect the health of our waterways and the people that live near them.”

Officials say that with the completion of the Venice Dual Force Main Sewer, the existing line can now be serviced for the first time in over  60 years. As both lines become fully operational, the combined two-mile section offers more than double the capacity and will protect existing sewer infrastructure and the surrounding community.

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