New and Events – 14 September 2009
September 14, 2009 § 1 Comment
Lots going on that many L.A. Creek Freaks will be interested in.
RECENT NEWS:
>There’s a big buzz on many graf-art websites about the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ use of federal stimulus funds to paint out the famous/infamous huge SABER graf-art mural on the west bank walls of the L.A. River downtown. I am not the biggest proponent of graffiti at the L.A. River (I think that some of it is great… but some of it I find kinda frustrating) but this whiting-out project seems pretty pointless to me. There are many greener projects that could have moved forward with those federal monies… which were supposed to create green jobs, no?
>TreePeople has a good-looking new website, including a new blog by their founder Andy Lipkis!
> The Water Wired blog is a great very readable resource for coverage of very fascinating water issues happening all over. Put it in your RSS Reader today! You might want to check out their recent coverage of Mexico City’s water issues from centuries of overpumping and on the New York Time’s coverage of nationwide neglect in enforcement of the federal Clean Water Act. The actual New York Times article by Charles Duhigg Clean Water Laws Are Neglected, at a Cost in Suffering is here. Duhigg was interviewed on Demoncracy Now earlier today.
>Mark Gold penned an editorial California’s water reform legislation is all wet that ran in the September 8th 2009 L.A. Times. Gold’s Spouting Off blog is also a great read.
Inglewood Gate - click for article and larger image (Photo: Bill Campbell)
>Bill Campbell at Metblogs shows off Ballona Creek’s beautiful new Brett Goldstone gate at the bike path entry point at Inglewood Avenue. Bike over and check it out!
>The “eecue” site has posted even more great photos of the downtown Los Angeles L.A. River bridges.
>The L.A. City stormwater program’s blog “L.A. Team Effort” details the city’s plans to use $30M in Proposition O funding to upgrade city Santa Monica Bay stormdrain dry weather diversions. During dry months the city sends the trickle of urban runoff from many stormdrains into its sewage treatment plans. This prevents contaminated runoff from getting into rivers and oceans during the summer – when recreational usage is highest.
>The Malibu Times reports that officials are investigating an unexplained recent fish die-off at Malibu Creek (via the On Water blog.)
UPCOMING EVENTS – lots to choose from this Saturday!:
>The Ballona Institute is looking for volunteers at a Ballona Wetlands clean-up and restoration event this Saturday September 19th from 9am to 12noon. For information, send an email to massa30 [at] gmail [dot] com.
>The free Frogtown Art Walk takes place this Saturday September 19th from 4pm to 10pm.
>Lots of great creek, river and beach sites to choose from on Coastal Clean-Up Day this Saturday September 19th from 9am to 12noon at more than 70 locations in Southern California!
>Food and Water Watch hosts a talk by Bolivian water activist Marcela Olivera – Saturday September 19th at 4pm. Details here in our earlier post.
L.A. Creek Freak 
Thank you to Creek Freak for noting both the buffing of the graffiti art in the river as well as the sadness many of us in the art community feel at losing a piece like the Saber’s. Graffiti artists in Los Angeles have a special connection to the river and its concrete banks. I believe that they can and will be strong visual communicators for a greener, revitalized Los Angeles river.