Ron Finley, self-proclaimed “gangster gardener,” helps a young girl plant a sunflower seedling.
Just months ago, the lightly browned yard behind the oldest operating library in LA sat unused, save for the handful of individuals who relaxed in it.
Ron Finley’s latest South LA garden grows renewed community interest in fresh foods
July 20, 2015 By 1 Comment
South LA property sued as “nuisance”
February 17, 2015 By Leave a Comment
Property at 1233 West 52nd Street, South Los Angeles. The L.A. City Attorney has filed a lawsuit against its owner claiming it is a nuisance property. | Photo Courtesy City Attorney’s Office
By Marc Sallinger and Bess Pierson
The office of City Attorney Mike Feuer filed two nuisance abatement lawsuits Tuesday against properties with a history of drugs and violence.
One property is in Hollywood and the other in South LA, at 1233 W. 52nd Street, between Normandie and Vermont, and only three blocks away from 52nd Street Elementary School.
“That residence has allegedly been known as a free-for-all for the sale of PCP, presence of weapons and for the presence of known gang members again and again,” said Feuer. [Read more…]
South LA creates healthy food options
April 25, 2014 By Leave a Comment
South L.A. residents are growing vegetables in their backyards. They are converting their corner stores into healthy groceries. They are not waiting anymore for healthy options to come to them.
Click play for the stories of a South L.A. vegan and a corner store transformer:
Arriving at a recent community development meeting in a recreation center in South L.A., Agyei Graham peeked at the breakfast spread of bagels, yogurt and coffee, quietly found a standing room spot in a corner, pulled a red apple from the back pocket of his jeans and bit into it.
The 21-year-old has been a vegan for five months, which means he couldn’t have the yogurt. He could eat the bagels, but he’d have to forgo cream cheese. And he could only have coffee if he wanted it black.
He came prepared with an apple because he didn’t expect a small community meeting to offer vegan options. But he isn’t always prepared with contingency plans. There are days when Graham, who works as a locker room attendant at a swimming stadium, doesn’t have time to pack a meal. There are days when he comes home to an empty fridge because he didn’t find time to go to his favorite grocery store, Sprouts, which is six miles away in Culver City. [Read more…]
South LA loses trees in Crenshaw/LAX Metro line construction
April 7, 2014 By Leave a Comment
Construction for the new metro rail line on Crenshaw blvd.
The new 8.5 mile Crenshaw/LAX light rail line could change the look of South L.A. by bringing an influx of businesses and pedestrian traffic. It could change the South L.A. landscape in another way, too: By cutting down about 100 trees along a two mile stretch of Crenshaw Boulevard between Exposition and 48th street to make room for the train.
Romell Pace, a local who sells shirts at the corner of Crenshaw and Slauson Boulevards, said the trees need to stay.
“Once the trees are removed… it’s going to be slow on business,” he said. “I believe that the trees should stay there because they are landmarks.” [Read more…]
Vermont Square Library celebrates 100 years
November 14, 2013 By Leave a Comment
Located in a residential area on 48th St between Vermont and Normandie, the Vermont Square Public Library has served South L.A. for 100 years. Through the century, the building has watched the neighborhood change both physically — from dirt to paved roads — and demographically as new residents moved into the community.
