Email Author Mars Melnicoff

2011 Stories by Mars Melnicoff

• CIM Group's Bitter Lesson to Mid-City

  published August 18, 2011

  Developers Richard Ressler, Shaul Kuba and Avi Shemesh of CIM Group last week sent their project manager, Kathleen Kim, to a... More >>

• Lowe's Home Improvement Fiasco

  published July 14, 2011

  How did the looming new Lowe's Home Improvement Center complex in Mid-City turn into the Lowe's Home Wrecking Center —... More >>

• Los Angeles CRA Creates Blight

  published June 30, 2011

  On June 2, Mid-City resident Peter Porte walked into his backyard to greet the morning. From the ridge where his home sits, he... More >>

• L.A. County's Private Property War

  published June 23, 2011

  Click here to watch our video... More >>

• Rescued Beagles Walk on Grass For First Time After Life in Product Testing Labs: VIDEO

  published Jun 17, 2011

  This evening Beagle Freedom Project will bring three more Beagles to touch grass and see sunshine for the first time -- yes, the first time ever. At an average age of 2 years, these dogs have spent... More >>

• Charlie Beck, L.A. Police Chief, Required to Cut $40 Million to Balance Budget, But Given No Guidance

  published May 25, 2011

  Today L.A. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa will receive amendments made by the City Council to his 2011-12 proposed City budget. The big issue is more than $40 million that Villaraigosa had wanted to borr... More >>

• Eric Garcetti, City Council President, Yet to Take Action For Budget Transparency

  published May 18, 2011

  L.A. Mayor Antonio Villlaraigosa's proposed 2011-12 City budget is anything but transparent, as illustrated in L.A. Weekly's Broke and Broken. Even the simple basics -- the number and cost of his own ... More >>

• Mayor Villaraigosa's Plan to Borrow $50 Million on Commercial Paper Dumped, Neighborhood Councils On Axing Block, What Elser JUST IN

  published May 17, 2011

  Less than 60 minutes ago Jay Handal received a "courtesy call." Handal chairs a committee for the 93 neighborhood councils called the Neighborhood Council Budget Advocates. "Basically they are guttin... More >>

• Fire and Police Unions Will Protest Fire Chief's Plan: Will Budget Decisions Run on Fear or Factsr VIDEO

  published May 12, 2011

  RonKayeLA reports that Friday morning United Firefighters Los Angeles City union leader Pat McOsker will lead a "massive outpooring" of firefighters to the City Council meeting. T.V. cameras are likel... More >>

• Ballona Wetlands May Be at Mercy of "Fishy" State Commission: Sierra Club, Ballona Institute Allege Wrongdoing

  published May 12, 2011

  In 2003, it felt like victory: after fighting 30 years to protect Ballona Wetlands near Marina Del Rey and Playa Del Rey, environmentalists saved 600 acres, halting plans by developers for thousands ... More >>

• Los Angeles: Broke and Broken

  published May 12, 2011

  During the Budget and Finance Committee hearings for Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa's proposed 2011-12 budget, Stephen Box gamely... More >>

• Scott Svonkin, Candidate for Los Angeles Community College District Board of Trustees, Gets Gift: Frontiers Forgets to Fact Check

  published May 10, 2011

  Scott Svonkin, San Gabriel Unified School District Board member, is running for the powerful L. A. Community College District Board. Thanks to major Democratic backing and union campaign contributions... More >>

• LA's Budget Problem: More Like City Employee Bonus Problem

  published May 06, 2011

  L.A. City Council member Bill Rosendahl calls it "gold in the gutter." L.A. watchdog Ron Kaye likens it more aptly to "pennies in the gutter." They are talking about what is actually changeable in May... More >>

• Scott Svonkin's Solar Adventure

  published April 28, 2011

  Scott Svonkin has made a lot of enemies in the three years since he joined the board of the small San Gabriel Unified School... More >>

• Antonio Villaraigosa's 2011-2012 Budget Debate Starts Today: Can the Mayor Stop City Hall's Overspending of $52,168 an Hourr

  published Apr 27, 2011

  rLast week, Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa announced his proposed 2011-12 budget, designed to stop City Hall from overspending by $1.25 million per day, or $52,168 per hour. Next, the L.A. Ci... More >>

• Scott Svonkin, San Gabriel Unified Board Member, Lets Teachers Down: Plays Hooky to Campaign For L.A. Community College Board

  published Apr 13, 2011

  Scott Svonkin, San Gabriel Unified School District Board member, describes himself as the "only one who cares about the teachers." He is running for a seat on the vastly more powerful Los Angeles Comm... More >>

• Scott Svonkin's Personality Problem

  published April 7, 2011

  San Gabriel School Board member Scott Svonkin pounds on tables or car windows when he is displeased. He yells with his mouth... More >>

• YJ Draiman, Dad to Disturbed's Lead Singer: Top 5 Reasons Unknown Underdog 2013 L.A. Mayoral Candidate Is Freaking Interesting

  published Apr 06, 2011

  So far, four candidates have announced they will be running for mayor of Los Angeles in 2013. When you announce, it gives the green legal light to start raising funds to campaign. YJ Draiman, one of t... More >>

• Rudy Montiel and $400 Lunches: KCET Follows Shocking Money Trail of Recently Canned Chief of L.A. Housing Authority, And Others

  published Mar 23, 2011

  Updated after the jump: SoCal Connected Executive Producer weighs in on early feedback, possible government reactions. rThe Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles (HACLA) is a billion dollar ag... More >>

• Political Action Group MoveOn Holds 'Rally to Defend American Dream:' Urging Senators to Ease Proposed $100 Billion Budget Cuts

  published Mar 16, 2011

  Yesterday evening MoveOn, a political action group, hosted a "Rally to Defend the American Dream" outside of the west side's Palms Ranch Library. The messager It was for Senators Barbara Boxer and Di... More >>

• Crooked L.A. Judges Try to Slide Marina Del Rey Project By: Residents Await Courts To Stop Developers From "Sprucing"

  published Mar 15, 2011

  As reported yesterday through very rose colored glasses by the L.A. Times, Marina Del Rey is in a process of "renewal." "Leaseholder Jerry Epstein will raze his 202-unit Del Rey Shores apartment co... More >>

• Yolie Flores, Departing L. A. Unified School Board Member, Got Pushback From Student Anti-Reform Pawns

  published Mar 11, 2011

  Yolie Flores, lifelong voice for families and students, recently decided not to return to her chair on the Los Angeles Unified School District Board. Her disheartening enlightenment about the state of... More >>

• Larry Eisenberg, Executive Director of Facilities Planning and Development, L. A. Community College District: First to Be Held Accountable For Bond Abuse

  published Mar 09, 2011

  Update: See Bottom. 25 minutes ago, Larry Eisenberg, executive director of Facilities Planning and Development for the Los Angeles Community College District -- the man who oversees the fraud-ridden $... More >>

• $3 Million For More Water: Glendale, Burbank, North Hollywood Included in Environmental Protection Agency Superfund Site

  published Mar 09, 2011

  The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announces two settlements -- for a total of over $3 million -- with companies believed to be responsible for "industrial" chemicals in the soil and groundwate... More >>

• Tom LaBonge vs. Stephen Box and Tomas O'Grady: Los Angeles City Council District 4 Election Results

  published Mar 09, 2011

  By Simone Wilson Update: LaBonge squeaked out a win with 55.09 percent; O'Grady came through with 30.93 and Box with 13.98. A total of 16,257 voters participated in the District 4 election. Update: ... More >>