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Showing posts from March, 2023

Critics Attack as Los Angeles Metro Plans for Digital Billboards

  Los Angeles could be getting a digital makeover in the not-so-distant future… and not everybody’s thrilled about it. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority has officially proposed erecting up to 93 digital billboards to capitalize on billboard advertising opportunities. But now the national non-profit organization  Scenic America  is speaking out against the ambitious revenue-accruing plan. And they’ve got a list of reasons supporting them. The Los Angeles Metro Plan for Digital Billboards Photo credit:  Envato The digital billboards planned by the Los Angeles Metro would measure anywhere between 30 to 48 feet wide. Additionally, some would use both sides. Each digital pane would cycle through a series of eight graphics. Metro would sell seven of these cycles as billboard advertising, dividing the accrued revenue with the city.  With seven of the digital billboards’ eight cycles devoted to advertising, where does that leave the final cycle? This brings us to the first of the benef

Developmentally Disabled Adults Find Risks Are Their Own Rewards at Breaking Barriers

  Adults with developmental disabilities don’t have it easy. But far too often in our society, this leads to people writing them off as helpless. Thankfully, a Los Angeles-area non-profit corporation is devoting themselves to helping developmentally disabled adults live their lives outside of the bubble to which they’re so often relegated. The organization is called Breaking Barriers. And as we found out in our  latest Community Spotlight , they’re passionate about helping their participants help themselves. Protection Over Promotion Long before she was the co-founder and Associate Director of Breaking Barriers, Melissa Spicuzza was helping adults with developmental disabilities the only way she knew how. The trouble was that it left her uninspired. Even worse, it left those she supported discouraged. In immediate need of employment, Spicuzza began her work with developmentally disabled adults after high school. A friend who recognized her gift for supporting others suggested she apply

Cucamonga Service Station Brings Route 66 History to Life

  Featured image credit:  Einbierbitte Travelers have been getting their “kicks on Route 66” since before any of us were born. Thankfully, even in those early days, there were plenty of service stations to keep motorists moving. But time has worked its magic. Gone are those faithful service stations of yore, replaced by newer models. Except in Rancho Cucamonga. There you’ll find the Cucamonga Service Station; a carefully restored and preserved Spanish Colonial-style relic of Route 66 history.  Credit to Klusman In the early 1900s, record keeping wasn’t quite as meticulous as it is today. Or maybe record  storage  was as haphazard as it is today. Either way, it seems there’s no official documentation of the Cucamonga Service Station’s 1915 origin. But ask around Rancho Cucamonga and anyone who actually knows what you’re talking about will likely attribute the station’s construction to one Henry Klusman.  Klusman was a big name in Rancho Cucamonga’s early days. In fact, he’s credited wit

Enjoy St. Patrick’s Day in LA at Your Fav Local Irish Pub and Beyond

  On March 17th, the green beer flows like the raging LA River to the thirsty revelers of Los Angeles. And thanks to the rainfall, this is the only year we can use that comparison, so we hope you enjoyed it! With St. Patrick’s Day falling on a Friday, your local Irish pub will no doubt be packed to the gills. Fortunately, there are a few places pulling out all the stops to make it worth the hassle. Here are a few ways you can spend your St. Patrick’s Day in LA.  Get an Early Start at Tom Bergin’s Photo credit:  Cbl62 (talk) The early bird catches the hangover… or so is the case  with Tom Bergin’s . If you’re planning on getting an early start on your…uh,  festivities , it’s worth noting that this classic local Irish pub will be welcoming patrons starting at 6am on St. Patrick’s Day. That notorious hour is typically the Drawing Room’s domain, but we suppose they can share for one day.  All joking aside, Tom Bergin’s serves up a full Irish breakfast that will bring a tear to your eye fas

The Strange, and We Mean STRANGE, Curse of Griffith Park

  Featured image credit:  Griffith Observatory If there’s one neighborhood in Los Angeles that definitely lives up to its name, it’s Los Feliz. Located in close proximity to downtown and burgeoning neighborhoods like Silverlake, Glendale, Studio City, and Hollywood, it’s central to a good portion of the city’s most popular attractions. The hardest part is prying oneself away from the boutique shops and charming dining that flood Vermont and Hillhurst Avenues with a wealth of options. The sun seems to always shine on Los Feliz, catching the hues of kaleidoscopic gardens punctuated by monarch butterflies. And Griffith Park is every Los Feliz resident’s backyard: a sprawling 4,210 acre municipal park with hiking trails, an amphitheater, an observatory, and a zoo. You’d never guess it was cursed.  A Note from the Unreliable Narrator Photo credit:  James Gubera You read that right. There’s allegedly a curse on Griffith Park. Maybe even parts of Los Feliz. But even if you believe in black ma