• Gasoline-powered Leaf Blowers – C.V. Beck
• Born in Venice – April Newman
• Parking in Venice – Cynthia Fenton
• Another pedestrian hit on Lincoln Blvd. – Rebecca Alber
• Remembering Steve Richmond – Linda Schram-Williams

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Gasoline-powered Leaf Blowers

Dear Beachhead,

The other day, as I was heading south on Walgrove, close to Venice Boulevard, at rush hour, I observed a person using the illegal gasoline-powered blower, which is unlawful if used within 500 feet of a residence. He was standing in the driveway of a residence, walking around a vehicle, blowing dust and particulate everywhere, clouds of blueish, shiny, metallic visible fumes were present.

Seems like people are either not aware of the law in this matter or else they just don’t care. As I was stuck in traffic, I had to close my window as I was choking and my eyes were burning. I couldn’t help but think that this pollution is probably giving people cancer. Doesn’t anyone care?

C.V. Beck

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Born in Venice

Dear Beachhead,

I am responding to the Venice Quiz 12-09. My brother (Dale Newman) was born in the now Sidewalk Café in 1961.

My father (Earl Newman) had a gallery in front. My family lived in the back.

I think my brother is one of very few that was born in Venice.

April Newman

P.S. The photo of the Venice West Café (Dec., pg. 11) has a poster that my Dad printed hanging in the window.

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Parking in Venice

Dear Beachhead,

I really enjoy reading this little newspaper. I find out what is really going on in the community. I would like to pose a few questions to those that voted against overnight parking.

1. Do you know your neighbor that just parked his motor, bus, van, boat, or car in front of your home?

2. Are you happy having to park a block away when you come home from work, school, shopping, or just out for the evening?

3. Do you get your street cleaned when that motorhome, bus, van, boat, or car can’t move for the sweeper, and stay there for another week.

4. Are you happy with the over building in Venice and less parking?

I am not against the homeless, or the less fortunate.

This is not the safest neighborhood to have to walk an extra block to get home, as we are all aware of the recent rape and murder on Electric Ave. I hear people walking at all hours of the night, those that live behind the tall, illegal fences are not any safer; if someone follows you in they too can hide. Remember we are asking only to restrict parking between the hours of 2- 6am that would force those who don’t live on your block to find parking elsewhere, and those who only move their vehicles once a week to move.

Thank You Beachhead for keeping us informed

Cynthia Fenton

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Another pedestrian hit on Lincoln Blvd.

Dear Beachhead,

On December 29 a man was struck by a car in the crosswalk at Lincoln Blvd/Palms Blvd.

One year ago a woman was killed in this crosswalk.

My partner and I started an email campaign the day after, since I was really affected by the incident Tuesday (I stayed with the man until the ambulance came.) According to police who I spoke with on Thursday, he is still in intensive care.

The pedestrian sign on the west side of the street is upside down and has graffiti all over it. There are no reflectors or blinking lights as on other crosswalks.

How many more people need to have their lives destroyed by this neglected crosswalk?

Thank you, Rebecca Alber

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Response from Yunus Ghausi, L.A. Dept. of Transportation Senior Transportation Engineer:

…We are saddened to hear about the traffic accident that occurred at the intersection of Lincoln Boulevard and palms Boulevard. We have completed a comprehensive traffic engineering study at the intersection of Lincoln Boulevard and Palms Boulevard in response to community concerns over pedestrian safety.

As result of this study, we recommended to repaint the crosswalk and install diagonal (Ladder) pavement markings in the crosswalk to provide sufficient warning for both motorists and pedestrian of the approaching of this marked crosswalk.

Further, we have recommended to upgrade the pedestrian warning signs on both northbound and southbound approaches. We anticipate these improvements to be completed in two months. We are now in the process of securing additional traffic accident data at this intersection in order to update our records. It will take us one month to receive these records and update our analysis…

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Comment by the Beachhead:

We consider this response from the LADOT to be wholly inadequate. In Santa Monica, crosswalks are equipped with flashing lights in the pavement. This is what is needed on a high volume street like Lincoln Blvd.

The LADOT seems to be biased in favor of cars and against pedestrians. The new crosswalk at Palms Blvd. and Abbot Kinney Blvd. is a case in point. After years of complaints and injuries to pedestrians, we finally got an upgraded crosswalk which just makes crossing the street more dangerous. It has flashing lights to warn drivers that pedestrians want to cross the street. The problem is that the pedestrians can’t see if the lights are flashing or not, and are likely to attempt the crossing when the lights are not flashing. Is this what is contemplated for Lincoln Blvd?

Why can Santa Monica do a good job of protecting its pedestrians, and Venice cannot?

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Remembering Steve Richmond

Dear Beachhead,

Richmond’s first bookstore was called “Earth Books Gallery”, located in a small non-existent-today block on Ocean Park between 2nd and 3rd Streets.  This block was demolished when Ocean Park Blvd. was widened and the Fourth Street overpass created.  It was at that location that the SMPD busted and closed down EarthBooks for Steve’s FUCK HATE window display – and Steve never reopened the space after that.  Instead, months later, he opened Earth Rose (at OFW), reviving the old bookstore and adding a candle shop, renting space to Rick the sandal maker and featuring local artists’ work on the walls.  RIP, old poet, you will always be missed.

Linda Schram-Williams