Fifth and Final Tour LaBonge Bike Ride
Councilmember Tom LaBonge led about 100 cycling enthusiast on his fifth bike tour of 2009 last night, making a pit-stop on the Paramount Pictures lot on Melrose Avenue.
“One of the many great things about riding a bicycle through Los Angeles is that you see so much more than you do from behind the wheel of your car,” the Councilmember said. “Biking makes us appreciate the beauty of Los Angeles. It’s also easy on the wallet and good for the waistline.”
The Tour LaBonge bike rides were fun, free events that promoted cycling as a cheap, environmentally friendly and healthy form of transportation. The five evening rides covered routes of about 12 miles and include police escorts that led, accompanied and followed the group to ensure traffic safety.
Each ride included one mid-way stop for ice cream, provided by the Councilmember. The pace was leisurely. The rides were conducted as tours of various neighborhoods, including (in order) downtown, the Wilshire District, Toluca Lake, Griffith Park and Hollywood.
Councilmember LaBonge launched the rides after visiting Berlin, Germany in 2007 and riding his bike throughout the city. The city is developing a new bicycle master plan now and encourages input from riders. To learn more, please click here.
$50,000 Reward Offered in Murder on LaBrea Avenue
Captains William Hart and Eric Davis join Councilmember LaBonge in announcing the $50,000 reward leading to the arrest and conviction of Brandon Daniels and David Gardiner.
Councilmember LaBonge joined Capt. Eric Davis and other officers at the Wilshire Community Police Station on Tuesday to announce a $50,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of two gang members suspected in the murder of security guard Noe Gonzalez last October.
"This was a horrible crime," Councilmember LaBonge said. "Mr. Gonzalez tried to intervene and protect his business and was brutally murdered. I hope that the reward motivates anyone with information about this horrific crime to contact the LAPD immediately."
Police have made two arrests in the case already. They are still seeking Brandon Daniels, 27, and David Gardiner, 21, in the case. Both are members of the Harlem Rollin 30s Crips gang; they are considered armed and dangerous. If you have any information about this case, please call Det. John Shafia (213)473-0446. Police guarantee anonymity to callers.
Mr. Gonzalez was in his first day on the job at the LaBrea Collective, 812 S La Brea Ave., on October 1, 2008 when the four gang members shot him to death. Police said that through a strong response from the community, they made two arrests quickly. They described the two remaining suspects as being "on the run."
"These are hard-core gang members and this was a senseless, brutal murder," Capt. Davis said. "We're conducting a full-on press to bring these suspects to justice."
For more information, click here.
LaBonge Negotiates Marathon Agreement
After weeks of meetings with Los Angeles clergy, the organizers of the Los Angeles Marathon and runners who participate in the 23-year-old event, Councilmember Tom LaBonge negotiated an agreement to move the Marathon back to a Sunday in early Spring, as was the tradition until this year, when it was held on Memorial Day.
As a result of the agreement, the City Council voted unanimously (12-0) today to change the City’s contract with the LA Marathon LLC to move the race date to a Sunday in early Spring.
“I organized a series of meetings to bring together the clergy and the runners, but we weren’t able to reach complete consensus until last night,” Councilmember LaBonge said in the packed Council chambers this morning. “Everyone involved in the process worked hard to bring about this agreement. The faith-based organizations kept their hearts and minds open to a resolution and we benefited tremendously from the help of City Attorney Carmen Trutanich and Superior Court Judge Dennis Choate. Because of all of them, we reached the finish line together.”
Under the agreement, the race will be run on a “Stadium to Sea” route that begins at Dodger Stadium and ends at the Pacific Ocean, with street barricades removed as the last runners pass. Marathon organizers agreed to provide access to all Houses of Worship along the route, and do public outreach to the religious and business communities along the route as well.
For years, members of the Los Angeles clergy complained that their congregants were unable to reach services on marathon Sunday. When ownership of the marathon changed hands last year, the City negotiated a new contract, which stipulated that the race would be held on a holiday Monday. The Memorial Day date proved difficult for television coverage and presented conflicts with veterans’ events and diminished participation from runners who were concerned that the weather would be too hot. Almost immediately after the Memorial Day race date was announced, runners began lobbying the City Council in public sessions to change the date back to a Sunday in March.
Final Tour LaBonge Bike Ride on Wednesday
Councilmember LaBonge welcomes riders at last week's Tour LaBonge ride at the Mulholland Fountain in Los Feliz.
Wednesday night, July 22nd at 6 p.m., marks the final ride in Councilmember LaBonge's 2009 Tour LaBonge summer bike ride series. If you haven't participated yet, consider taking this evening ride through Hollywood, Hancock Park and the Miracle Mile with a great group of cycling enthusiasts. Tour LaBonge is a fun, fun event that includes one pit-stop for ice cream at the half-way point.
Riders will gather at Hollywood City Hall, 6501 Fountain Ave. at 6 p.m. Kickstands up at 6:15. All riders must wear helmets, be at least 10 years of age and sign liability waivers.
The rides are free and open to the public. They proceed at a leisurely pace and cover an 8- to 12- mile course. Los Angeles Police Department bicycle and patrol officers escort riders to ensure traffic safety. The routes follow a circular route and last about two hours.
Councilmember LaBonge launched his series of summer evening bike rides to promote cycling as a cheap, environmentally friendly and healthy form of transportation in a region with the worst traffic in the country.
The city is developing a new bicycle master plan now and encourages input from riders. To learn more, please click here.
Celebrating the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles
To view or download larger versions of this brochure, click here.
Councilmembers Tom LaBonge and Bernard Parks as well as Olympic gold- and silver-medalist Rafer Johnson commemorated the 25th anniversary of the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles with the announcement and release of commemorative Olympics brochures.
“The Olympics were the high point in modern Los Angeles history,” Councilmember LaBonge said. “This is about honoring those who came before us: the late Mayor Tom Bradley and late City Council President John Ferraro, who worked so hard to bring the Olympics here.”
These beautiful brochures honor the Olympic ceremonies and events, which elevated the reputation of Los Angeles to that of a world-class city. The effect of the games is still felt here today. The Games produced a surplus of $232.5 million; a portion of that surplus is still being used on youth sports in Southern California.
The brochures, which include a map of the world’s Olympic Cities and pictures of each historic Olympic poster, will be distributed to Los Angeles public school students through Beyond the Bell afterschool program.
Among those who attended the announcement, which was held at the Coliseum where the games were played, were the two councilmembers; Mr. Johnson, who lit the Olympic flame at the 1984 Olympics and is now a board member at the LA84 Foundation; Graham Marriott of Cartifact, the Los Angeles cartographer and brochure designer; Alvaro Cortes, LAUSD Assistant Superintendent Beyond the Bell Branch and Patrick Escobar, Vice President, Grants and Programs for the LA84 Foundation.
Shatto Park Getting a Facelift
Councilmember LaBonge with Koreatown residents who helped break ground on improvements for Shatto Park.
Councilmember Tom LaBonge joined Department of Recreation and Parks Commission President Barry Sanders and leaders of the Koreatown community today for a groundbreaking ceremony for improvements to Shatto Park.
The park is getting a much-needed facelift, including new universally accessible play equipment and security lighting in the children’s play area as well as new outdoor fitness equipment for adults. Cushioned athletic surfacing will be installed at the basketball and badminton courts. The front entry of the community building will receive new drought tolerant plants and the baseball outfield perimeter areas will receive drought tolerant screen plants to help hide the large adjacent building wall. Other improvements are planned as well.
“This is one of the most heavily used parks in the city and we’re happy that it’s finally getting some love,” said Councilmember LaBonge. “My office has been working with city staff and the community for months to plan these upgrades, so today is a very special day for us.”
According to Vicki Israel, Asst. General Manager of the Department of Recreation and Parks, "Shatto recreation gets a lot of use. It's a popular community institution and it's great that Quimby monies give us the opportunity to make these upgrades."
Barry Sanders, President of the Recreation and Park Commission, commented that the improvements provide a more comfortable experience for park patrons, as well as more efficient use of the park space. "We know it's important for our citizens to have the best we can offer in recreation, especially at a time when parks may be the only recreational opportunity available," he added.
The project will take about six months and cost about $685,000 in Quimby funds. Quimby funds are contributed by condominium developers in the area of the park.
Tour LaBonge Third Bike Ride
The next Tour LaBonge Bike Ride begins on Wed., July 15th at 6 p.m. at the Mulholland Fountain, corner of Riverside Dr. and Los Feliz Blvd. in Los Feliz.
The third bike ride in Tour LaBonge followed the tree-lined streets of Toluca Lake, North Hollywood and Studio City on Wednesday night. About 50 riders joined the Councilmember, as did a Los Angeles Police Department escort and security from the NoHo Business Improvement District.
"This is a great evening for a bike ride in the Valley," the Councilmember said at the beginning of the ride. "We'll pass through some of the most beautiful neighborhoods in the city. There's no better way to see L.A. than from the seat of a bicycle."
Councilmember LaBonge launched his series of summer evening bike rides to promote cycling as a cheap, environmentally friendly and healthy form of transportation in a region with the worst traffic in the country.
The next ride will be on Wednesday, July 15th in the Los Feliz/Silver Lake area. Meet Tom at the Mulholland Fountain, corner of Riverside Drive and Los Feliz Boulevard, at 6 p.m.
Community Congress
METRO CEO Arthur T. Leahy joined Councilmember LaBonge at the Council District 4 Community Congress.
The future of public transit, street repair, public safety and sanitation were on the agenda last night at Council District 4's 11th Community Congress.
About 70 community members attended the event, which was held at the Hollywood City Hall.
"When I got elected in 2001, I promised to bring government to the people and that's what I'm doing tonight," Councilmember LaBonge said at the opening of the two-and-a-half-hour hour meeting.
Guests included Arthur T. Leahy, the new CEO of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (METRO); Enrique Zaldivar, General Manager of the Bureau of Sanitation; Nazario Sauceda, Asst. General Manager of the Bureau of Street Services and LAPD Capt. Beatrice Girmala of the Hollywood Division.
The main message? Despite the shrinking city budget, crime is down city-wide and public transit options are expanding. The news for street repair is more tempered. The city will be repaving fewer streets next year because of budget cuts.
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