What happens when an aspiring teen chef from South L.A. meets the U.S. Surgeon General? + Did you buy a Powerball ticket in South LA? Claim your $866K prize!



Fremont High School senior Xiaxiang English served a chard-based salad to to the U.S. Surgeon General Friday.

Fremont High School senior Xiaxiang English served a chard-based salad to to the U.S. Surgeon General Friday. | Marisa Zocco, Intersections South L.A.

What happens when an aspiring teen chef from South L.A. meets the U.S. Surgeon General?
Fremont High School senior Xiaxiang English stood alongside U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy on Friday, promoting nutrition and access to fresh fruits and vegetables as a preventive health measure. (Los Angeles Times)

Did you buy a Powerball Ticket in South LA? Claim your $866k prize!

The California Lottery announced Thursday that a winning lottery ticket purchased at a Florence neighborhood meat market in South L.A. remains unclaimed. (MyNewsLA.com)

Renata Simril to succeed Anita DeFrantz as head of LA84 Foundation
Former Dodger and LA Times executive Renata Simril was announced the CEO of LA84 Foundation on Wednesday. The foundation is endowed with 40 percent of the surplus of the 1984 Olympic Games and has funded more than $225 million in grants to support youth sports programs in Southern California. (MyNewsLA.com)

Green Grounds brings edible gardens to South LA



Team members & recipients (Hyder, Neon Tommy)

Green Grounds team and gardeners | Tahsin Hyder

Katie Guevara and David Guevara Rosillo loved the idea of growing their own food but never had the budget or knowhow. Now, having spent hours a day knuckle-deep in soil, those times of uncertainty are long behind them.

“This is the last strawberry plant going in, and we’re all really exhausted, and we just can’t wait to eat it, and eat everything else we planted,” said Guevara.

South Los Angeles is known for its lack of  fresh, organic produce. Upmarket grocers like Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s don’t have South L.A. locations, and while the number of farmers markets has increased near Downtown Los Angeles, South L.A. still has just a few.

Locals also struggle for access to fresh food for other reasons, said Florence Nishida, founder of LA Green Grounds. Her organization aims to bring people together around the common cause of healthy eating through edible gardening.

“Our mission is… to produce a garden and build something that’s beautiful but also yields bounty that is healthy, fresh and pesticide-free,” said Nishida. [Read more…]

Get your hands dirty for Earth Day



Earth Day

Gardening demonstration, on April 6, for Earth Day South L.A. 2013, presented by Normandie Ave. Elementary School and Community Services Unlimited Inc.

Earth Day, which falls on Monday, April 22, is fast approaching but there are several events in South Los Angeles that can help you celebrate and even preserve green spaces throughout the city.

The worldwide, annual event gives communities an opportunity to express the importance of preserving the environment.

If you’re looking to get your hands dirty or simply kick back and relax, check out the small sampling of Earth Day events below. [Read more…]