Repairing Wilshire Boulevard

Curb-Lane repair work continues this weekend (April 30 and May 1) on Wilshire Boulevard in the Miracle Mile area. Crews will be in these locations.

1. Wilshire Bl, from Windsor Bl. To Lorraine (north side of street) - they'll remove and replace asphalt in the gutter lane.

2. Wilshire Bl. @ Saint Andrews Pl (south side of street) - they'll remove and replace asphalt in the gutter lane.

Celebrating Little Bangladesh in Los Angeles

4th District Councilmember Tom LaBonge, Bangladesh Consul General of LA Enayet Hossain and City Council President Eric Garcetti help hang the street-sign designating Little Bangladesh.

Hundreds gathered at the corner of 3rd Street and Alexandria Avenue on January 15th for the unveiling ceremony of Little Bangladesh. Councilmember LaBonge was joined by Mayor Villaraigosa, City Council President Eric Garcetti, Council President Pro-Tem Jan Perry and LA County Sheriff Lee Baca for the festivities, which featured the unveiling of a sign designating the five-block area around 3rd and Alexandria Little Bangladesh. The ceremony marked the culmination of a nearly 10-year effort among Bangladeshi-Americans to have their neighborhood named.

Visiting Dr. Dorr and Operation Walk

The Councilmember visits with Dorr and the Good Samaritan Hospital staff.

Operation Walk celebrates the holiday season by opening its services to U.S. patients this year who suffer from debilitating bone and joint conditions.
Founded in 1994 by Dr. Lawrence Dorr, also founder of The Dorr Arthritis Institute at Good Samaritan Hospital, Operation Walk has provided orthopedic surgery and treatment to underprivileged populations around the world free of cost. Because of the economic downturn and the need seen by Dr. Dorr, nine teams of surgeons will perform some 80 free surgeries across the nation for the first time.
"These patients have inescapable pain and these surgeries can cost thousands of dollars," Councilmember LaBonge said, after he stopped by The Good Samaritan Hospital to wish the team of doctors good luck. "Giving back to the community is so important--not only in the holiday season but every day. To these patients, Dr. Dorr is performing Angels' work in the City of Angels."
Operation Walk supports physician teams that raise money for treating underprivileged populations in the United States and globally. Operation Walk makes at least 10 trips per year to underprivileged populations in 12 countries each year to provide training and consultation.
For more information, please visit www.OperationWalk.org.

LAPD to Receive Funds for Wilshire Center-Koreatown Camera System

Councilmember Tom LaBonge and his colleagues approved the recommendation of the Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) to transfer funds to the LAPD for a wireless camera system. The CRA’s recommendation came after a request from Councilmember LaBonge who sought to address security concerns of community members and patrons of theWilshire Center-Koreatown district.
“I follow the recommendation of the LAPD,” Councilmember LaBonge said. “Cameras are an effective tool for preventing crime and it will boost the quality of life for people who visit this unique part of Los Angeles.”
The LAPD will use nearly $300,000 in AB1290 (State) funds for the cameras. The system has the ability to be monitored and recorded—an effective method for preventing crime and catching criminals. In the coming months, the LAPD will determine where the cameras should be located within the commercial zones.
AB1290 was established by the State in the 1990s in order to protect redevelopment projects. The funds are used to rebuild older or economically downtrodden communities. The City’s General Fund will not be affected.

Council Committee Approves Koreatown and Little Bangladesh Designations

Councilmembers LaBonge and Krekorian with members of Los Angeles' Bangladeshi and Korean communities.

Councilmember Tom LaBonge was greeted with thunderous applause after he expressed support for the official designation of Koreatown and Little Bangladesh in a committee meeting on Wednesday. The Councilmember worked alongside community members in the Wilshire-Koreatown District in order to accommodate each community’s needs in the ethnically diverse neighborhood.
“In the future, this will inspire other communities to collaborate and contribute to the City of Los Angeles,” Councilmember LaBonge said of the cooperation among three cultural communities that reside in the area. “It’s been a pleasure to work with your neighborhoods to make the Wilshire District a multicultural center of Los Angeles.”
For years, Koreatown became a hub of Korean culture, food and entertainment, but the area was never formally recognized. Bangladeshi residents sought formal recognition for a cultural center within Koreatown. In response, community activist, Chang Y. Lee, proposed that the City define the borders for an officially recognized Koreatown. The action was met by dismay from many of the areas El Salvadorian and Bangladeshi residents. Councilmember LaBonge stepped into the dispute, calling for all members to work together for a compromise.
The Education and Neighborhoods Committee, chaired by Councilmember Krekorian (in photo) also heard testimony from community members on the subject. Letters of support were presented by key players of the El Salvadorian community. Residents of Koreatown lauded praise on the coalition of communities that compromised on the designations while of the Bangladesh community voiced their delight at the resolution.
“It is a great day for all of us living in Los Angeles to have a little part of the City known as Little Bangladesh,” said one constituent. Another touted the multi-ethnic diversity of the area as the reason Los Angeles can be called “the quintessential American city.”
The Los Angeles City Council is scheduled to hear the committee’s recommendation on the designations in the coming weeks. Both district names are expected to be approved.

Councilmembers and Community Honor An Historic Olympian

Michelle Park Steele from the State Board of Equalization, Dr. Kee Wan Ha, Olympian Frank Gorman and others join Councilmembers Herb Wesson, Jr. and Tom LaBonge to celebrate Dr. Sammy Lee (holding plaque)

Councilmembers Tom LaBonge and Herb Wesson joined numerous Olympians and members of the community on Thursday to dedicate a square in the cultural center of Koreatown to Dr. Sammy Lee. The 90-year-old Olympian and pillar of the community also received commendatory proclamation from the Los Angeles City Council declaring August 5, 2010 “Dr. Sammy Lee Day.” David Simon, President of the Southern California Committee for the Olympic Games (SCCOG) and Barry Sanders, Chairman of SCCOG and President of the Los Angeles Coliseum Commission, were also present.
“Dr. Sammy Lee is a great American,” Councilmember Wesson said. “He has honored America throughout a lifetime of service to his community and his nation. Our tribute to him is a small token of appreciation for his many contributions, and his distinguished record of achievement.”
“We’re here today to honor a celebrated Olympian and an American legend,” Councilmember LaBonge said. “We dedicate this square to Dr. Sammy Lee for his lifetime of remarkable achievements.”
David Simon added, “Dr. Sammy Lee is a great Olympic champion whose contributions to the world of sport have continued for decades since he last stepped out of an Olympic pool. I am sure he will continue his inspirational work on behalf of the Olympic Movement.”
ABOUT DR. SAMMY LEE
Ninety-year-old Dr. Sammy Lee is the first American of Asian descent to win an Olympic gold medal. He is also the first person of color to win a medal in diving and the first man to win back-to-back gold medals in Olympic platform diving.
In 1942, Lee became the first person of color to win the National Diving Championships, sending him to the top of the list for Olympic trials. At the 1948 Olympic Games hosted in London, Lee won the gold medal in Men’s Platform Diving and took home a bronze for the 3-meter Springboard. In Helsinki’s 1952 Olympic Games, Lee struck gold again for Platform Diving, making him the oldest person to win a gold medal in diving at the age of 32.
In addition to coaching diving champion, Greg Louganis, to a silver medal (1976) and two gold medals (1984), Lee is credited with coaching Olympic gold medalist Bob Webster (1960, 1964). Lee served on the State and President's Council for Physical Fitness during five presidential administrations and was appointed by President Reagan as the President’s Commissioner on White House Fellows in 1981.
While competing at the Olympic level, Lee studied pre-med at Occidental College and graduated the four-year program in three years. In 1947, he graduated with his MD from the University of Southern California (USC) Medical School and became a Major in the US Army Medical Corps. Lee is a retired ear, nose and throat physician and surgeon.

Shatto Recreation Center Renovations Completed

Councilmember Tom LaBonge celebrated vast improvements to the Shatto Park and Recreation Center on Thursday 11 months after a $685,000 renovation project began at the Koreatown park. Members of the Wilshire Center community, including and representatives of the Department of Recreation and Parks, joined Councilmember LaBonge for a ribbon-cutting ceremony.
"More people live in the surrounding neighborhoods of Shatto than any area of the U.S. outside of Manhattan," Councilmember LaBonge said. "It's important that the community has a place to gather, exercise and play sports. These improvements make Shatto Park the centerpiece of the community."
The renovations were sparked after community elder Yong Mok Chun, a member of the Shatto Badminton Club, contacted city officials about the deteriorating asphalt on the badminton court. Councilmember LaBonge and the Department of Recreation and Parks General Manager Jon Mukri responded.
Major safety renovations consist of new lighting around the playground, handicap-accessible play structures and bleachers. Other improvements include new fitness equipment, a larger playground area, cushioned athletic surfacing at a badminton court and drought-resistant plants.

The Shatto Recreation Center is one of the finest examples of public parks in Southern California. It boasts an auditorium, baseball diamond, basketball courts, children’s play area, community room, tennis courts and volleyball courts.
The project was funded through Quimby funds. California Quimby Act was first established by the California legislature in 1965. The legislation was a response to California's increased rate of urbanization and the need to preserve open space and provide parks and recreation facilities for growing communities.

Councilmember Leads 50 Cyclists on Sharrows in Wilshire

Night number two of Tour LaBonge, the Councilmember's series of summer evening bike rides, titled “Positively Fourth Street” for the 1967 Bob Dylan song, toured the beautiful Wilshire district in the heart of Los Angeles. Councilmember LaBonge led the nearly 10 mile excursion, showcasing the new bike lanes on Fourth Street.
“It’s so important that the Los Angeles car culture become friendlier to the environmentally-conscious alternatives,” Councilmember LaBonge said. “Sharrows like these enable cycling enthusiasts to enjoy the great City of Los Angeles and demonstrate to motorists that we can live in harmony.”
Interesting sites included a view of the Los Angeles County Museum of Arts Urban Lights installation, a trip by the La Brea Tar Pits and a tour around Larchmont Boulevard.
The Tour LaBonge bike rides are fun events that promote cycling as an inexpensive, environmentally friendly and healthy form of transportation. Every route is approximately 10 miles long and includes a police escort that leads, accompanies and follows the group.
The following four Wednesday evenings will take cyclists through other portions of Councilmember LaBonge’s district. On June 30, riders will enjoy the sights and sounds of Toluca Lake and North Hollywood, known for its up-and-coming status as the art center of Los Angeles. Other nights will explore the Miracle Mile area, the LA River and Griffith Park and a tour of Hollywood on July 21st.
All riders are required to wear helmets and sign liability waivers. Participants must be at least 12 years of age, and children must be accompanied by parents or other responsible adults. No pets allowed.