The beginning of 2020 marked the 30th anniversary of Publishers Michael and Karen Villalpando’s ownership of the Park Labrea News and Beverly Press. Many people, places and events have shaped the local community during the past three decades, with the newspapers reporting on the most important and consequential news. The 30th anniversary marks an appropriate time to look back on the history of the area and its impact on the places and people who call the community home. A list of headlines and stories has been assembled from 1990 through the present day illustrating the dynamic and ever-changing nature of the community and those who have made a difference.

 

Jan. 11, 1990

Park Labrea News has new owners

Michael and Karen Villalpando purchased the Park Labrea News from Chuck and Bunny Riley, who owned the paper for 18 years. The paper, started in 1946, was 44 years old at the time. “We are excited about continuing the great tradition of this important voice in the Park La Brea and Wilshire-Fairfax area,” Michael Villalpando said. “Karen and I have strong ties to the community and want to serve it the best we can. We will expand upon popular reader features by depending on reader feedback. We plan to expand circulation so that the newspaper better penetrates the area.” The purchase of the newspapers also initiated the launch of the Beverly Press, which now serves Beverly Hills, West Hollywood, Melrose-Fairfax and the Wilshire communities.

 

Feb. 8, 1990

Bradley announces urban design workshop

Los Angeles Mayor Tom Bradley was frequently featured in the newspapers in the early 1990s, including when plans were announced for a workshop on development and design in the Fairfax-Miracle Mile area. The goal was to ensure new developments were constructed with consideration of the impacts they have on the community, an approach still valued today. “With guidelines and unified goals, conflicting parts can be transformed into a harmonious whole,” Bradley said. “We need a process such as an urban design workshop to maximize the benefits for our communities.”

 

July 19, 1990

From the publishers: we are now a weekly

The Park Labrea News and Beverly Press began publishing weekly, as opposed to bi-weekly, for the first time in their history. Every Thursday, readers continue to enjoy popular features such as Police Blotter and profiles of neighborhood-serving businesses, as well as news affecting the local community.

 

Aug. 23, 1990

Construction begins on Holocaust Monument

Los Angeles developer Jonah Goldrich was shown in a photograph behind the controls of a bulldozer during a groundbreaking ceremony for the Los Angeles Holocaust Monument in Pan Pacific Park. The monument memorializes the millions of Jews who were murdered and suffered during the Holocaust. It was completed in 1992 and remains an important fixture in the community. A permanent home for the Los Angeles Museum of the Holocaust was constructed next to the memorial and opened in 2010.

 

Jan. 24, 1991

City Council OKs Farmers Market plans

The Los Angeles City Council approved a plan by A.F. Gilmore Co., the owner of the Original Farmers Market at the corner of Third and Fairfax, to build a 700,000-square-foot retail complex on land around the site. The project had been scaled down through a years-long process in which the owners of A.F. Gilmore Co. worked with the community and local civic representatives. The late City Council President John Ferraro, 4th District, supported the plan, which was to include a new mall anchored by two department stores. The project eventually became The Grove.

 

March 21, 1991

L.A. County Art Museum accepts $10 million gift

The Los Angeles County Museum of Art accepted a $10 million gift from publishing magnate Walter Annenberg, making it the largest donation in the museum’s history. The museum planned to use the funds to purchase impressionist and post-impressionist works of art to increase LACMA’s permanent collection.

 

April 4, 1991

Bradley asks chief Gates to step down

Mayor Tom Bradley called for Los Angeles Police Chief Daryl Gates to resign following the videotaped beating of black motorist Rodney King by LAPD officers. “Our city must begin to heal its wounds,” Bradley said. “My duty as mayor is to all of Los Angeles. I simply will not stand by as our city is split apart. We must come together, we must heal.” The King beating marked the beginning of a tumultuous period in the city’s history, resulting in the Los Angeles Riots in 1992. Gates refused to step down, and did not leave the LAPD until June 1992, after the riots.

 

Nov. 14, 1991

Magic’s news triggers wave of AIDS testing

Los Angeles Lakers legend Earvin “Magic” Johnson announced he had tested positive for the HIV virus, heightening fears about a disease that caused many deaths in the local community. The Gay and Lesbian Community Services Center, a precursor to the L.A. LGBT Center, disclosed that requests for testing tripled after Johnson’s announcement.

 

Feb. 20, 1992

Crew captures escaped mammoth

A headline jokingly alluded to a project to save a statue of a prehistoric mammoth that was sinking in the lake in front of the La Brea Tar Pits. The mammoth was successfully “rescued” and remains in place in front of the La Brea Tar Pits and Museum today.

 

May 7, 1992

Wilshire community rallies to recovery

The Los Angeles Riots, a series of civil disturbances that lasted from April 29 through May 4, 1992, caused major damage in the local area. The riots resulted from the acquittal of police officers who were accused of beating black motorist Rodney King during a traffic stop the previous year. Numerous stores on major thoroughfares were burned, including Samy’s Camera, located at the corner of La Brea Avenue and Beverly Boulevard. National Guard troops were called in to quell the rioting, and soldiers were staged in the parking lots at the Original Farmers Market. In the weeks and months after the civil unrest, organizations such as the Jewish Federation and other religious and civic agencies organized efforts to build cohesion and bring the community back together. Samy’s Camera pledged to rebuild and remains a thriving business on Fairfax Avenue.

 

April 4, 1993

Mayoral candidates attend Park Labrea forum

The race for Los Angeles’ next mayor heated up in early 1993, when candidates Stanley Sanders, Nate Holden, John Borunda and Julian Nava debated in a forum at Park La Brea. Not present were businessman Richard Riordan and incumbent Councilman Michael Woo. Riordan won the election in June 1993, succeeding Mayor Tom Bradley, who retired that year after serving for 20 years. Riordan, a member of the Republican party, served as mayor of Los Angeles through 2001. Woo never held public office again.

 

June 24, 1993

500,000 expected for annual Pride celebration

LGBT pride has long been at the heart of the West Hollywood community. In June 1993, record crowds participated in the annual Pride Parade and Festival. The event remains a mainstay in the West Hollywood today and attracts hundreds of thousands of people to the area every year.

 

Dec. 9, 1993

Yaroslavsky to run for supervisor

Veteran politician and Fairfax District resident Zev Yaroslavsky announced plans to run for the 3rd District seat on the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, and won the election the following year to succeed Supervisor Edmund D. Edelman. Yaroslavsky represented the 5th District on the Los Angeles City Council from 1975-94. He served as county supervisor through 2014, when he retired and was succeeded by Sheila Kuehl. Hallmarks of his public service included championing responsible development and growth in the community, improving transportation, protecting the environment and promoting arts and culture.

 

Jan. 20, 1994

Businesses, residents rebuild after earthquake

The magnitude 6.7 Northridge earthquake occurred on Jan. 17, 1994, causing widespread damage throughout the Los Angeles region. The temblor caused the collapse of the Fairfax-La Cienega off-ramp of the Santa Monica (10) Freeway and heavily damaged the façade of the Beverly Center, in addition to damaging numerous other buildings in the area. The earthquake was the most powerful to hit the L.A. region in the past 50 years and caused nearly $44 million in total damage.

 

March 3, 1994

LACMA adds May Co. to its prized collection

The Los Angeles County Museum of Art purchased the former May Co. department store building at the corner of Wilshire Boulevard and Fairfax Avenue. For more than two decades, LACMA used the building as exhibition space. It is currently in the process of being transformed into the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures, which is expected to open later this year. The May Co. building’s iconic gold-colored façade remains at the corner, and a large dome with a glass exterior has taken shape behind the structure.

 

June 8, 1995

Feuer prevails in 5th District race

Attorney and Fairfax District resident Mike Feuer won an election to represent the Los Angeles City Council’s 5th District, succeeding Zev Yaroslavsky, who was elected as county supervisor. Feuer, who previously headed Bet Tzedek legal services on Fairfax Avenue, served the district until 2001, when he was elected to the state Assembly. Feuer had long been a champion of public safety and protecting the welfare of vulnerable populations, including seniors. After his tenure in the Assembly, Feuer was elected in 2013 to serve as Los Angeles City Attorney, a position he still holds today.

 

April 4, 1996

Gallant lady: Leah Rabin brings husband’s message to L.A.

The local Jewish community was in the news when Leah Rabin, the widow of iconic Israeli leader Yitzhak Rabin, who was assassinated the previous year, spoke at a dinner hosted by the Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles. Rabin called for peace and unity and thanked members of the local Jewish community for their support.

 

June 20, 1996

Gay & Lesbian Center celebrates 25 years

The Los Angeles Gay and Lesbian Center was celebrated in 1996 for its commitment to serving the local LGBT community. The center held a special event to mark its work in assisting people with HIV and AIDS and advocating for LGBT rights. The center was honored as being the largest organization in the country offering HIV testing. Also highlighted was its new state-of-the-art headquarters on Schrader Boulevard, which served as the center’s home until the Anita May Rosenstein Campus opened last year on Santa Monica Boulevard in Hollywood.

 

Dec. 5, 1996

Miracle Mile smiles

New signs were installed on Wilshire Boulevard at both ends of the Miracle Mile near Fairfax and La Brea avenues. The signs were a project of the Miracle Mile Civic Coalition and included a retro design paying homage to the area’s history.

 

Jan. 2, 1997

Slain LAPD officer laid to rest

Officer Mario Navidad, of the LAPD’s Wilshire Division, was killed in the line of duty while attempting to apprehend alleged gang members who had committed a robbery at a convenience store near Fairfax Avenue and Whitworth Drive.

 

Jan. 23, 1997

Silent Movie Theater owner gunned down

One of the most high-profile crime stories of the past 30 years in the area involved the slaying of Lawrence Austin, who owned the popular Silent Movie Theater on Fairfax Avenue. In the coming months, LAPD investigators determined that James Van Sickle, a projectionist who was also Austin’s lover, hired another man to kill the theater owner in a plot to steal his business and valuable film archive. Both Van Sickle and the gunman, Christian Rodriguez, were later sentenced to life in prison. The Silent Movie Theater was reopened for a brief period under new ownership in the 2000s but has now remained closed for years. The film collection was donated to the UCLA Film and Television Archive.

 

March 11, 1999

Cowboy icon comes down

The Marlboro Man billboard, a fixture for decades on the Sunset Strip, was taken down as part of a settlement reached with cigarette manufacturers and a state ban on outdoor tobacco advertising. Los Angeles County Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky and West Hollywood Councilman Paul Koretz were instrumental in having the sign removed because of the negative image it presented to young people regarding tobacco usage

 

Sept. 21, 2000

Local boy does gold

One of the biggest headlines of 2000 belonged to West Hollywood resident and swimmer Lenny Krayzelburg, who won three gold medals during the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, Australia. Krayzelburg, who also won a gold medal in swimming in the 2004 Olympics in Athens, Greece, remains involved in aquatics sports and is general manager for the professional swimming team Los Angeles Current.

 

June 7, 2001

Election brings new faces as representatives

The 2001 election saw former Los Angeles City Attorney James Hahn elected as mayor. Hahn defeated former state Assembly Speaker Antonio Villaraigosa for the position, and held the job until 2005 when Villaraigosa prevailed in the city’s mayoral election.

 

Sept. 13, 2001

Terrorist attacks prompt local emergency action

The 9/11 terrorist attacks impacted the community, although there were no local incidents of terrorism. “Signs of Support” showed flags and signs calling for peace at many locations in the community. The Miracle Mile Civic Coalition later planted trees commemorating victims of the terrorist attacks in the park surrounding the La Brea Tar Pits, including Charles “Chic” Burlingame, who was piloting a plane that was hijacked by terrorists and crashed into the Pentagon. The pilot was the brother of the late Brad Burlingame, former president of the West Hollywood Chamber of Commerce.

 

Oct. 25, 2001

Tom LaBonge wins 4th District race

Tom LaBonge, referred to many as “Mr. Los Angeles,” was elected to replace the late Los Angeles City Council President John Ferraro, who died in April 2001. LaBonge, a former deputy to Ferraro who also worked for Mayor Richard Riordan, went on to serve 14 years representing the 4th District.

 

March 21, 2002

Shoppers marvel at new Grove

The Grove, a retail destination created by developer Rick Caruso, opened on land next to the Original Farmers Market. Los Angeles Mayor James Hahn and County Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky joined Caruso at a ceremony marking the opening, and The Grove quickly became a popular destination for shopping, dining and entertainment. Caruso has remained an important contributor to the local community, holding philanthropic events such as the annual Run to Remember at The Grove honoring law enforcement personnel who have been killed in the line of duty, and supporting education initiatives and training programs to help young people build careers.

 

March 3, 2003

Veterans’ memorial breaks new ground

Construction of the Sal Guarriello Veterans Memorial began and was completed in November 2003. It was named after West Hollywood City Councilman Guarriello, a World War II veteran who advocated for a memorial in the city for those who served. Guarriello served 19 years on the West Hollywood City Council and died in 2009.

 

April 1, 2004

West Hollywood mayor holds public ‘wedding’

The early 2000s were a tumultuous time for same-sex couples who sought more freedoms to marry. West Hollywood City Councilman, and now Los Angeles County Assessor, Jeffrey Prang showed his support for such freedom by publicly marrying his partner Ray Vizcarra. Although same sex-marriage had not yet been legalized at the time, Prang and Vizcarra formally became domestic partners. The city of West Hollywood remained at the forefront of the fight for same sex marriage, which became legal in California but was later halted in November 2008 when Proposition 8, a controversial ballot initiative banning same sex marriage, was approved by voters. Lawsuits and litigation ensued, and a federal court invalidated Proposition 8 in 2010 after ruling the law was unconstitutional. Same-sex marriage did not become legal again until appeals of the federal ruling were exhausted in 2013.

 

June 16, 2005

The comeback king

The opening of the “Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs” exhibit at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art brought visitors in droves. The exhibit included 55 treasures from the Egyptian king’s tomb that hadn’t been on display in Los Angeles since a landmark Tut exhibit was presented at the museum during the late 1970s.

 

May 10, 2007

Huge brush fire rages through Griffith Park

A massive brush fire blackened 820 acres of land in Griffith Park. The fire threatened landmarks such as the Greek Theatre and the Griffith Observatory, but firefighters prevented them from being damaged and had gained the upper hand in battling the blaze by May 10. The fire remains one of the largest in the park’s history and the most damaging blaze to erupt in the area since.

 

Feb. 7, 2008

Urban Light ready for its close-up

One of the Los Angeles’s most iconic outdoor attractions debuted in February 2008 when artist Chris Burden’s “Urban Light” opened on Wilshire Boulevard in front of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. The assemblage of vintage streetlights was included in the opening of the nearby Broad Contemporary Art Museum and has become of the most photographed locations in Los Angeles.

 

Nov. 6, 2008

Obama’s win says ‘Yes We Can’

A new era in American politics was ushered in with the election of Barack Obama, the nation’s first black president. Obama received much support in the local community. Two months later in January, an event was held at Fairfax High School where thousands of cheering students watched the inauguration in the school’s auditorium.

 

Feb. 29, 2009

Mammoth discovery made at Tar Pits

Fossils of a prehistoric mammoth and other Ice Age animals were unearthed during excavation of an underground parking garage at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art in 2009. The mammoth, which La Brea Tar Pits and Museum officials nicknamed Zed, became the focus of an exhibit at the Tar Pits about the creatures that inhabited the area up to 10,000 years ago and whose fossils likely remain underneath the surface today.

 

July 16, 2009

Farmers Market celebrates 75 years

The Original Farmers Market, corner of Third and Fairfax, celebrated a milestone anniversary with celebrity appearances, music, comedy and family activities held throughout summer 2009. A highlight of the celebration was a giant cake in the shape of the market’s famous clock tower unveiled during the “Birthday Bash” party.

 

July 22, 2010

Hollywood celebrates 50 years of stars

The Hollywood Walk of Fame market a milestone in 2010 when the attraction celebrated its 50th anniversary. The year included numerous star ceremonies launched by a ceremony for Ringo Starr in early February and later featured an anniversary celebration in July.

 

March 24, 2011

Protesters call for an end to wars

Thousands of people marched on the streets of Hollywood in March 2011 in opposition to the War in Iraq, which had been occurring for eight years at the time. Organized by the group ANSWER LA, the demonstration included Vietnam veteran and anti-war activist Ron Kovic, who was portrayed by actor Tom Cruise in the 1989 film “Born on the Fourth of July.” The protest was one of many that occurred in Hollywood during the War in Iraq and War on Terror.

 

April 28, 2011

2012 Campaign barrels through L.A.

President Barack Obama appeared at a rally at Sony Pictures Studios in April 2011 during his reelection campaign that year. The president outlined successes and accomplishments such as increasing jobs and decreasing unemployment, and boosting investments in the green energy sector. Obama made another stop in September 2011, attending a rally at the House of Blues in West Hollywood. The president defeated Republican candidate Mitt Romney in November 2012 to serve a second term.

 

May 9, 2011

Hollywood makes ‘Capitol’ improvements

Development made headlines in 2011 when it was announced that the Millennium Hollywood project was proposed for space around the Capitol Records Building on Vine Street. The project was to include 1 million square feet of space and two high-rise towers. The plan sparked significant opposition and the project never came to fruition, largely because of findings that it would be located to close to a significant earthquake fault. The project was revamped and a new plan with more than 1,000 housing units was later proposed at the site in 2018 and remains in the planning process.

 

Jan. 5, 2012

Suspect charged for arson spree in Hollywood, WeHo

An arson spree committed by a 24-year-old German national who was living with his mother in an apartment near Sunset Boulevard and La Brea Avenue sparked fear throughout the city. The suspect, Harry Burkhart, was allegedly upset about the U.S. government’s plan to deport his mother because of alleged crimes she faced in Germany. From Dec. 29, 2011, to Jan. 2, 2012. Burkhard started 52 arson fires, many in apartment carports in Hollywood and West Hollywood. He was arrested on Jan. 2, 2012, by a deputy from the West Hollywood Sheriff’s Station who pulled him over near Sunset Boulevard and Fairfax Avenue. Burkhart pleaded insanity, but a jury found him sane, and he was sentenced to 33 years in prison in 2018.

 

June 14, 2012

Dolby Theatre debuts in Hollywood

The Hollywood community welcomed the Dolby Theatre in June 2012, which changed its name from the Kodak Theater, which had opened at the Hollywood and Highland Center in 2001. The Dolby Theatre remains one of the city’s premier venues, hosting the annual Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Science’s Academy Awards ceremony. The theater will be at the center of the film universe again this Sunday, when the 92nd Academy Awards will be held.

 

Sept. 27, 2012

And we have touchdown!

Thousands of people gathered at locations throughout the city to see the Space Shuttle Endeavour’s final flight before becoming a permanent exhibit at the California Science Center. The space shuttle embarked on a tour of Los Angeles on the back of modified Boeing 747 before landing at LAX. Thousands more lined city streets as the shuttle was later transported on trailers from the airport to the California Science Center in Exposition Park.

 

Nov. 15, 2012

Mayor digs in for long haul on subway

A press conference was held for the groundbreaking for Phase 1 of Metro’s Purple Line Extension project. Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa joined city and Metro officials at the corner of Wilshire Boulevard and La Brea Avenue to mark the beginning of the project, which will extend the Purple Line subway from Wilshire/Western to Wilshire/La Cienega by 2023, to Century City in 2025, and Westwood by 2028. The project, primarily funded by sales tax increase approved by Los Angeles County voters in 2008, remains under construction at many locations along Wilshire Boulevard in the Miracle Mile and Beverly Hills. New subway stations will be located at Wilshire/La Brea, Wilshire/Fairfax, Wilshire/La Cienega, Wilshire/Rodeo and Century City/Constellation.

 

May 3, 2013

99 ways to leave a lasting legacy

Longtime Carthay Circle resident Dave Gold, founder and owner of the 99 Cents Only Stores, died in April 2013 at the age of 80. Gold was considered a pioneering entrepreneur after starting the 99 Cents Only Stores in 1982 and building the chain into a retail giant with hundreds of locations throughout the western United States. Gold oversaw operations for the company for decades, keeping it a family operation. The chain was sold in 2001 to the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board for $1.6 billion.

 

May 23, 2013

L.A. chooses Garcetti

The Los Angeles municipal election ushered in a new era of city leadership, with many of the figures elected still in office today. Eric Garcetti, who had represented Hollywood as the 13th District councilman since 2001, was elected mayor of Los Angeles. Other familiar politicians victorious in the election were Mitch O’Farrell, who succeeded Garcetti as 13th District councilman, and Mike Feuer, who was elected city attorney.

 

June 26, 2014

LACMA’s bridge to the future

The Los Angeles County Museum of Art made headlines in June 2014 when it unveiled a project that will transform its campus. The design by architect Peter Zumthor includes a singular structure that will extend across Wilshire Boulevard. Construction began last fall at the museum, which remains open with exhibits and activities held in other spaces on site and at satellite locations, and the project is anticipated to be complete in 2024.

 

May 21, 2015

Ryu declared victor in 4th District race

Political newcomer David Ryu won an election for Los Angeles City Council representative for the 4th District in May 2015, defeating Carolyn Ramsay, former chief of staff for longtime Councilman Tom LaBonge. Ryu, the son of Korean immigrants, had the support of many neighborhood groups and former elected officials such as City Councilman and Los Angeles County Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky. He was sworn in in June 2015, becoming council’s only Asian-American representative at the time.

 

Aug. 13, 2015

Ready. Steady. Go!

The exterior transformation was completed for the Petersen Automotive Museum, below, which is shrouded in steel ribbons over a red background, giving an illusion of movement. The Petersen Automotive Museum reopened in December 2015 to much fanfare, and remains a popular destination for tourists and automotive fans throughout Los Angeles and around the world.

 

March 3, 2016

Elton John rocks the Sunset Strip

Music legend Elton John performed in a surprise concert in the parking lot of the former Tower Records store on the Sunset Strip. John, who hosts a viewing party in West Hollywood each year for the Academy Awards to raise funds for HIV and AIDS programs, made frequent appearances at publicity events at the music store earlier in his career.

 

April 21, 2016

Our People Our Places

The newspapers published a full-color magazine marking the 70th anniversary of the Park Labrea News. Many of the people and institutions that make the community special, including the Original Farmers Market, the Griffith Observatory, the Petersen Museum, CBS Television City, The Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts and Los Angeles Zoo were featured. It also included articles about prolific Los Angeles figures such as Hall of Fame Dodgers Broadcaster Vin Scully, philanthropist Eli Broad and LACMA CEO and Wallis Annenberg Director Michael Govan. A special series titled Salt focused on lesser known but equally important contributors in local neighborhoods, including Samy Kamienowicz of Samy’s Camera; retired aerospace engineer and Fairfax District resident George Epstein; longtime local real estate agent Rosalie Klein; Allan Jefferies Marion, of Allan Jeffries Framing; and pianist and harpist Corky Hale and her husband, legendary songwriter Mike Stoller.

 

Nov. 10, 2016

28th District picks Schiff for the ninth time

Donald J. Trump defeated Hillary Clinton in the 2016 presidential election. U.S. Rep. Adam Schiff, who represented the local area, was reelected in the California’s 28th Congressional District, which stretches from Pasadena to West Hollywood. Also victorious was U.S. Rep. Ted Lieu, who represented the 33rd Congressional District, which includes Beverly Hills. Voters in Beverly Hills did not approve Measure HH, a controversial initiative that would have allowed the Beverly Hilton to construct a 345-foot tower near the corner of Wilshire and Santa Monica boulevards.

 

June 15, 2017

Los Angeles makes history with #ResistMarch

U.S. Rep Adam Schiff rallied a large crowd in June 2017 during the #ResistMarch, which was held that year instead of the annual Pride Parade in opposition to policies and actions by the Trump administration. More than 100,000 people marched from Hollywood to West Hollywood Park during the event, at which speakers denounced Trump as a draconian leader bent on repealing progress with civil rights and many other issues.

 

Aug. 10, 2017

Beverly Hills makes a BOLD statement

August 2017 marked the beginning of the city of Beverly Hills’ BOLD (Beverly Hills Open Later Days) program, in which business stay open later and music and art activities are held to attract more people to the city during summer. The program proved to be very popular and was later recreated during the holidays. Today, BOLD is one of the city’s premier programs and continues to be held during late summer and the holiday season.

 

Aug. 31, 2017

L.A. approves Indigenous Peoples Day

The Los Angeles City Council voted to replace an observance of Columbus Day with Indigenous Peoples Day, in celebration of native cultures. The change was spearheaded by Councilman Mitch O’Farrell, 13th District, a member of the Wyandotte Nation. Los Angeles followed the lead of cities including Minneapolis and Seattle in establishing Indigenous Peoples Day on the second Monday of October. The first Indigenous Peoples Day in Los Angeles was held in October 2018.

 

May 10, 2018

WeHo’s train of thought

In May 2018, the West Hollywood City Council took steps to bring more public transportation to the city by approving a resolution to support an accelerate timeline for the north extension of Metro’s Crenshaw Line. Plans remain under consideration, with the goal of getting a light rail system through the city in place as soon a possible.

 

July 25, 2018

Beverly Hills bans electric scooters

The Beverly Hills City Council banned electric scooters and other similar forms of transportation in response to public safety dangers they posed. The city followed West Hollywood’s lead in restricting e-scooters, although West Hollywood allows people to ride through the city on the devices as long as they are following all traffic laws, while Beverly Hills has outlawed them entirely. The city of Los Angeles allows a limited number of e-scooters and is working with companies to develop plans that would allow people to use them as alternative transportation but lessens the impact on pedestrians and neighborhoods where the devices are commonly left by riders.

 

Oct. 4, 2018

Pink’s Square honors iconic hot dog stand at Melrose and La Brea

Pink’s Hot Dogs and it’s owners Richard, Gloria and Beverly Pink celebrated when the city of Los Angeles designated the intersection of Melrose and La Brea avenues as Pink’s Square. The hot dog stand has been a favorite among residents and tourists for decades, serving as a culinary destination in Los Angeles since 1939. City officials led by Councilman Paul Koretz, 5th District, held a ceremony at the intersection to enshrine the stand as one of the city’s beloved landmarks in perpetuity.

 

June 4, 2019

Homeless count shows sharp increase

The homelessness crisis reached critical proportions, illustrated by the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority’s announcement that 59,000 people were living on the streets of Los Angeles County, with 36,300 homeless individuals in the city Los Angeles. The numbers were tabulated during the homeless count in January and marked a 12% increase countywide from the previous year, and a 16% increase in the city of Los Angeles. The numbers prompted government officials to look for new ways to end the crisis, with more housing and services being offered and more funding from the state promised in Gov. Gavin Newsom’s state budget.

 

June 27, 2019

Tower approved at Amoeba Music site

Hollywood development remained a major issue in 2019, including in June, when the City Council approved plans for a 26-story tower with up to 200 residential units at the site of the Amoeba Music store at Sunset and Cahuenga boulevards. Amoeba announced their new Hollywood location on Wednesday.

 

Dec. 19, 2019

Thank your lucky Shamrock – Bergin’s is back

The longtime Fairfax Avenue landmark Tom Bergin’s reopened under new management. The Irish pub and restaurant closed after St. Patrick’s Day in 2018 and after former patrons and community group lobbied the City Council, the site was designated a historic-cultural monument in June 2019. The pub will remain, but the owners plan to build a new development on the parking lot and an adjacent property.

 

The past 30 years included many important people and events that shaped the local community into what it is today. With the ever-changing nature of elections, developments, and societal issues, the next 30 years will surely prove to be just as prolific, and the newspapers will continue to chronicle the times of Beverly Hills, West Hollywood and the Hollywood, Hancock Park, Miracle Mile and Wilshire communities.