News and Events – 16 July 2010
July 16, 2010 § 4 Comments
RECENT NEWS
> Hector Tobar has an excellent piece in today’s L.A. Times, mostly about how Heather Wylie spurred on George Wolfe to lead the 2008 L.A. River expedition. It’s entitled A gamble on the river pays off and here’s a short excerpt, featuring yours truly:
Without Wylie and that law-defying boat trip, it might not have happened.
As proof that the river is indeed navigable, the EPA cited in its official report the July 2008 Los Angeles River expedition organized by Wylie, George Wolfe and others.
“The federal government is saying this is a real river,” said Joe Linton, a writer and activist who was also on the expedition. “I say that every day. But it’s good to be backed up by officialdom. It gives the river a certain legitimacy.”
The Los Angeles River has always been a real river. The city was founded on its banks and today — in spite of its concrete walls — it’s still the natural object at the center of L.A.’s existence.
Read the full article here. Also read more L.A. Creek Freak background on the 2008 kayak expedition and Heather Wylie. Updated: Credit too to LAist, which is the site that ran Wylie photos that got her in trouble with her higher-ups at the Army Corps of Engineers.
> The Next American City covers river revival as performance art, focusing on the leading roles played by Lewis MacAdams, poet and founder of Friends of the Los Angeles River. Also read a selection from MacAdam’s recent poetry book here.
Rending of future wetlands restortation at the Piggyback Yards. Image from piggybackyard.org
> For more coverage of the Piggyback Yards proposals, in addition to Creek Freek’s post earlier today, check out Piya Sinha-Roy’s article and lots of material and images at the “PBy” site!
UPCOMING EVENTS
> Act quick to get in on this Sunday’s Hidden L.A. River tour. Details at our post earlier this week.
L.A. Creek Freak 
Not to be overly PC, but does every rendering of the river on the PBy site have to be almost purely white people? Not that it compromises their work, ideas, or integrity. But come on…
Yes – very much… we had that problem on the initial renderings of the city of LA’s river plan – all white people.
valid point!
I didn’t even notice, I guess I’ve been in Vermont too long.
This is definitely a complicated but very important issue in conservation.