Several community activists turned out today for public comment before the City Council to make the case that the Autry National Museum has reneged on its commitment to keep the Southwest Museum functioning as a living museum.
The Southwest is a treasure of the Mt. Washington-Highland Park area that was allowed to fall into decay by the city's leadership -- something that never would have happened if it was located downtown or on the Westside.
With impetus from the Gene Autry's widow Jackie, the Griffith Park institution moved in and took over the Southwest with false claims about its assets and false promises to restore the city's oldest museum. Instead, the Autry has looted the Southwest of its $1 billion collection and intends to expand in Griffith Park while turning the Southwest over to the L.A. Community College District which proposes spending $12 million from the bond issue on the November ballot to turn it into classrooms.
The Saving L.A. Project voted to support Friends of the Southwest Museum on Saturday and activists who participated in the Town Hall meeting spoke to the City Council today.
Ron Kaye is the former editor of the Los Angeles Daily News where he spent 23 years helping to make the newspaper the voice of the San Fernando Valley and fighting for a city government that serves the people and not special interests.
Twice in recent years, Los Angeles Magazine listed Kaye among the city’s most influential people, specifically in the area of politics. Kaye has been variously described in the media as the “accidental anarchist,” “the Patrick Henry of the San Fernando Valley” and a “passionate populist.” He is now committed to
carrying on his crusade for a greater Los Angeles as an ordinary citizen. Previously, Ron worked at the Los Angeles Herald Examiner,
Associated Press, Cleveland Plain Dealer and The Australian as well as papers
in Fairbanks, Alaska and Yakima, Wash. He also wrote for Newsweek magazine, The Guardian in London and the National Enquirer.
Well, Ron Kaye scoops the Los Angeles Times again. If you read the Times, you would not have any idea there was any controversy. You would not know that the Autry overstated its assets by $100 million. You would not know that Autry slid into the bond project list for Measure J a Jackie Autry sweetheart deal to spend $11.5 million of taxpayer money to do what Jackie said in the Southwest Museum merger her museum would do. No need to subscribe to the Los Angeles Times anymore. It is the furthest thing from a watchdog for our City.
The Arroyo Seco Journal, a little community newspaper in Northeast LA, was the first newspaper to break the story of the Autry overstating its assets, back in the Spring of '08.
It was also the ONLY newspaper to cover the Community College Measure J issue,on our website. Mr. Kaye DOES cite us as his source.
Let's just give a little credit where credit is due.
www.asjournal.net
This is not just news. It is looting. I have no idea how to correct it but will support any effort to make things right.
This is a country of laws. That collection does not belong to the Autry's nor to LA CITY.
Please keep us informed. Thank you for exposing this nefarious act. TH
A Special Agenda Item for the City Council Fri 9/12/08... The Dept of Planning is trying to ramrod a zoning ordinance for Sunland Tujunga, regarding a proposed Sunland/Tujunga Residential Floor Area District. Most residents oppose it. The STNC and Councilmember Greuel are in favor. It forces all remodels and new houses to be smaller, 30% of the lot size. Special case instances can make the house a bit larger. Dept of Planning wants Sunland/Tujunga to be LOW INCOME, small houses.
GO TO THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING MEETING tomorrow 9/12 AND OPPOSE THIS.
Case # 08-2348
http://musastan.sitesled.com for more info.
HOW'S THIS FOR RAMRODDING SOMETHING THE COMMUNITY DOESN'T WANT
09/10/2008 Planning and Land Use Management Committee scheduled item for Council on September 12, 2008.
09/10/2008 Planning and Land Use Management Committee waived consideration of item.
09/10/2008 Los Angeles City Planning Commission report(s) referred to Planning and Land Use Management Committee. Click to view online docs
09/09/2008 Document(s) submitted by Los Angeles City Planning Commission, as follows:
Los Angeles City Planning Commission report, dated September 9, 2008, relative to an ordinance and zone change for Case No. CPC-2008-2861-RFA, located in Sunland-Tujunga; Applicant: City of Los Angeles. Click to view online docs
09/08/2008 Los Angeles City Planning Commission report(s) referred to Planning and Land Use Management Committee. Click to view online docs
09/05/2008 Document(s) submitted by Los Angeles City Planning Commission, as follows:
Los Angeles City Planning Commission report, dated September 4, 2008, relative to an ordinance to establish a Residential Floor Area Supplemental Use District; Case No. CPC-2008-2861-RFA; Location: Sunland-Tujunga-Lake Terrace-Shadow Hills-East La Tuna Canyon; Applicant: City of Los Angeles.
If a matter like the Residential Floor Area Supplemental District flies through without PLUM review, it's because Wendy Gruel's office asked for waiver by the PLUM Committee. That does not magically happen on its own. It does look like a ramrod job - especially to put it on a Special agenda so the community only gets 24 hours notice.
Pretty much anything with fun colors and patterns, designs on the pages. ,
Pretty much anything with fun colors and patterns, designs on the pages. ,
Pretty much anything with fun colors and patterns, designs on the pages. ,