Councilmember Huizar introduced legislation through the City’s Information Technology and Government Affairs Committee Tuesday seeking to protect Northeast Los Angeles communities from any undue burden from a proposed extension of the North Long Beach 710 Freeway. The resolution, which was co-sponsored by Councilmember Huizar, along with Council President Eric Garcetti and Councilmember Ed Reyes, asks the City to officially oppose the extension of the freeway through Zones 1 and 2, which would run through a significant portion of Northeast Los Angeles. The resolution also seeks to protect the community of El Sereno by stating that if a tunnel of any kind is proposed, the portal must begin and end south of Valley Boulevard. In October, Governor Arnold Schwarzenneger vetoed a bill that would have banned any above-ground freeway option for the proposed extension of the northbound 710 Freeway to the 134/210 Freeways. The Councilmembers’ resolution is expected to be heard in Council next week.Councilmember Huizar Pledges Support to El Salvador
On November 8, Hurricane Ida struck the country of El Salvador. More than 184 people were killed, hundreds of thousands have been displaced and thousands more have been injured. Councilmember Huizar, along with Council President Eric Garcetti and Councilmembers Ed Reyes, Tony Cardenas and Richard Alarcon, pledged a total of $10,000 in aid. By some accounts, Los Angeles is home to the second largest Salvadoran population outside of the nation’s capital, San Salvador. In March, Councilmember Huizar traveled to El Salvador with a delegation of prominent Salvadoran Americans election experts and city and state officials to help monitor the recent historic presidential election.Photo Credit: Yuri Cortez-AFP/Getty Images via The Washington Post
The Salvadoran American Leadership and Education Fund (SALEF) is accepting tax-deductible donations to support the victims of Hurricane Ida.
Tax deductible donations can be made payable to:
EL SALVADOR CARE FUND (Chase Bank, Account #825607187)
Mail to SALEF:
1625 West Olympic Blvd., Suite 718
Los Angeles, CA 90015
For more information, please call (213) 480-1052 or visit www.salef.org
Last Tuesday, more than 100 community members gathered at The Exchange Building in Downtown's Historic Core to review and provide Melendrez Design Partners with input on final concepts for the Broadway Streetscape Master Plan. Part of Councilmember Huizar’s Bringing Back Broadway initiative, a 10-year plan to revitalize Broadway’s Historic Core, Councilmember Huizar described the final plan as one that prioritizes people over vehicles. The Streetscape Plan calls for widened and reinforced sidewalks, along with basement reconstruction in places where basements extend out under current sidewalks, which are collapsing in places. Curb extensions will provide space for comfortable, real-time transit stations for bus and streetcar users, while on-street parking and loading will support merchants. The plan also calls for new signage inspired by Broadway’s historic past along with new streetlamps, which with will have the street’s original, authentic design. Trees and plantings will be added to offer green elements to the street (supported by a storm water retention and recycling system). Completion of the streetscape plan is intended to coincide with construction of the streetcar line, which will connect historic Broadway with L.A. Live on one end and the Bunker Hill/Music Center area on the other by 2014.
Councilmember Huizar hosted the 4th Annual Operation Gobble-Gobble – an event aimed at helping families from El Sereno, Eagle Rock and Boyle Heights during Thanksgiving by providing a free turkey with all the trimmings. Held at the Boyle Heights Technology Center last week, about 700 turkeys were given out throughout the day thanks in large part to donors like the Boyle Heights Neighborhood Council, Food 4 Less, El Super, Chivas USA, and the SCE Credit Union. Councilmember Huizar teamed up with the Roybal Family Source Center and the Boyle Heights Technology Center to ensure families had a great Thanksgiving meal. The event featured photo opportunities with Chivas USA Girls and a children’s corner featuring a free movie screening and popcorn.Visiting the Guadalajara Int’l Book Fair
As the former President of the Los Angeles Unified School District, promoting literacy is a key issue for Councilmember Huizar. This week, alongside Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, Councilmember Huizar represented the City of Los Angeles at the Guadalajara International Book Fair – one of the biggest Spanish language book festivals in the world. More than 1,600 publishing houses from 40 countries participated, as well as scores of authors, literary agents and librarians. The City of Los Angeles was the Guest of Honor at this year’s festivities and reinforced the City’s longstanding reputation as a home to some of the world’s greatest contributors to literature, theater, dance, fine arts and film.
