Recent Streetsblog LA posts about Eastside

In an effort to show how transportation, open space, planning and other issues are intertwined with the health, culture, livability and strength of a community, Streetsblog and The California Endowment teamed to bring Streetsblog’s coverage to a hyper-local level in Boyle Heights and South Los Angeles. Sahra Sulaiman is Communities Editor for Streetsblog Los Angeles and oversees work in South Los Angeles and Boyle Heights. Her work and that of our former Boyle Heights-specific writer Kris Fortin can be found here. Contact Sahra at sahra[at]streetsblog.org or on twitter: @sahrasulaiman.

Exide Cited for String of Lead Emissions Violations by EPA

By Sahra Sulaiman | May 23, 2014 | No Comments

I receive my fair share of press releases regarding environmental happenings and community events, but few are more morbidly amusing than Exide Technologies’ efforts to paint itself as the good guy every time it is slammed with a massive violation. The most recent one from the embattled Vernon lead-acid battery recycler is in response to […]

The Other Lesson of Our #LA2050 Listens Events. We Need to Get Younger People More Involved.

By Damien Newton | May 13, 2014 | 1 Comment

Wider sidewalks, bike paths, fewer car lanes, park space. These were some of the ideas that Scarlet, a participant in James Rojas’ interactive workshop focused on thinking of a new design for North Figueroa Street, presented to the group. The eight-year-old was the team leader for one of two tables set up for the workshop, […]

Carmen Tellez, mother of hit-and-run victim Andy Garcia, tells local news outlets she is disappointed with the outcome of the sentencing hearing for Wendy Villegas. Sahra Sulaiman/LA Streetsblog

Judge to Hit-and-Run Perpetrator: Don’t Do it Again or it Will Be Considered Murder

By Sahra Sulaiman | Apr 22, 2014 | 20 Comments

“If you drink and drive and kill someone again, [this time] it will carry a charge of murder with a minimum sentence of 15 years,” the judge told 21-year-old Wendy Villegas at her sentencing hearing. “Do you understand?”* Her words had been meant to admonish Villegas — to convey the idea that slamming into a […]

Students Re-Envision Their Neighborhood Through Interactive Workshop

By Erick Huerta | Apr 14, 2014 | No Comments

“Mister, who’s coming to class today?” asked a curious student from Gene Dean’s 9th grade English class at Roosevelt High School. As the rest of the class began to take their seats, they took notice of the two tables filled with a random assortment of trinkets and knick-knacks, prompting another student to ask, “Are those […]

Plea Deal for Drunk Driver that Killed Andy Garcia Does Little to Ease Pain of Victims, Friends, and Families

By Sahra Sulaiman | Apr 4, 2014 | 12 Comments

Even the judge looked confused when the plea deal offered to Wendy Villegas was read out in court, says a somber Mario Lopez. Villegas could have been sentenced to up to 15 years for having come tearing up the bridge on Cesar Chavez drunk last September 14th, slamming into Luis “Andy” Garcia and dragging his […]

Pondering Boyle Heights During This Weekend’s Tour de Co-Ops

By Erick Huerta | Apr 1, 2014 | 2 Comments

Bringing together seven different bicycle collectives, the Tour de Co-Ops was a half-day ride that celebrated the “do it yourself” (DIY) spirit of the Los Angeles cycling community. Split up into two separate routes, the ride acted as a fundraiser for the participating volunteer-operated co-operatives. In 2005, Los Angeles didn’t have any store-front bicycle co-ops. The […]

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