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Boyle Heights Beat
After latest homeless count, officials cheered progress. But for many unhoused Latinos little has changed
Los Angeles officials cheered a small but significant victory recently: a 10% drop in the number of unhoused people sleeping outdoors in the city of L.A. Overall, the count in the city shows total homelessness dropped 2%, though officials said that’s within the margin of error. This result from...
Free air purifiers available for Boyle Heights and East L.A. residents
Free in-home air purifiers are now available for qualifying Eastside residents as part of the South Coast Air Quality Management District’s residential air filtration program. The program is open to residents of Boyle Heights, East Los Angeles, Eastern Coachella Valley and some areas on the west side of Commerce.
5 must-see art shows in Boyle Heights, plus one in SELA
In Boyle Heights, stepping into a gallery isn’t a must to witness some of the best art the city has to offer. New and historic murals, installations and graffiti art adorn the streets in this neighborhood. The art scene here thrives on walls indoors too. If you’re looking for...
Above average temperatures linger in Boyle Heights. Here’s how residents are staying cool
The doors and windows at the Lou Costello Senior Center were wide open Thursday morning, promoting cross ventilation to nearly 40 seniors inside. The center’s air conditioner was down due to some copper components being stolen, according to the center’s director, Raul Lozano. But with hot dogs and hamburgers in hand, many of the seniors were eager to grab cups of ice-cold agua frescas to cool off during lunch.
Get out and about on the Eastside (7/12-7/14)
Hola Boyle Heights! Your community reporter, Alex Medina, is here to share some happenings in and around the neighborhood to get you out and about!. It’s good to be back! I hope you’re all doing well and getting through this summer’s heat wave. Taking care of your mental well-being in whatever way works best for you is just as important. It’s also a message the Mindful Gardeners from Griffith Middle School have been spreading sharing valuable mental health resources for the East L.A. community since 2020. You can read more about this student-led organization in this article by yours truly.
How East L.A. middle school students use gardening to spread mental health awareness
As a student at Griffith STEAM Magnet Middle School, Emma Oceguera saw how her classmates had increased stress, anxiety and depression at the start of the pandemic. That’s when she and fellow students came together in the fall of 2020 to form a group focused on addressing those mental health issues. With a lack of green spaces in the neighborhood, they decided to incorporate gardening into the project.
For one East L.A. couple, Biden’s new order for undocumented spouses could be life-changing
After their engagement last year, Guadalupe, 21, and Ivan Anguiano, 20, discussed their wedding date for months. “We wanted to get married in February, but then we said March, and then we said May, and I was like, ‘Let’s just do June’. I just literally opened the calendar and said this date works,” Guadalupe said.
LA’s free weekly meal program will disappear next month, leaving thousands of older adults in limbo
An L.A. city program that delivers free weekly meals to thousands of people over the age of 60 is officially coming to a close at the end of August. A last-ditch effort to further fund the Emergency Rapid Response Senior Meals program until the end of the year didn’t make it through the L.A. City Council on Tuesday, with officials bouncing it back to committee after citing the budget process and cost concerns.
Your summer guide for free and low-cost activities in Boyle Heights
Summertime is here and that means record-breaking heat waves, school breaks and more fun in the sun. Whether you’re looking for free activities, summer camps, or places to spend time with the entire family, there’s plenty to enjoy in Boyle Heights and East L.A. Beat the heat at...
Proposed ballot measure would nearly double L.A. County’s Board of Supervisors. That’s gone unchanged since 1912
Two members of the Los Angeles Board of Supervisors on Wednesday proposed sweeping reforms that could end up on the November ballot. The proposals include expanding the size of the board from five to nine, making the county CEO an elected position, and creating an independent ethics commission. Where things...
Patriotism, pessimism and carne asadas: How Eastsiders are spending Fourth of July
People in Boyle Heights and across the nation will observe the Fourth of July Thursday with fireworks, parades and BBQs. For some, the holiday is a time to celebrate democracy. But others, concerned about the nation’s future, choose to distance themselves from displays of patriotism. We asked community members...
City of Los Angeles drastically reduces permit prices for street vendors
Street vendors in Los Angeles will save hundreds in permit fees after the city approved an ordinance that will drastically cut annual permit prices. The ordinance, passed Friday by the L.A. City Council, reduces the annual vendor permit fee that would have cost $541 to $27.51. At Friday’s council meeting,...
New LA homeless count shows 10% drop in people sleeping outdoors in city
L.A.’s annual point-in-time homelessness count was released Friday, showing a 10% drop in the number of people sleeping outdoors in the city. It comes after beefed up investments in shelter and longer term housing: Since L.A. Mayor Karen Bass took office in December 2022, the city has invested more than $1 billion to try and address homelessness.
After Biden-Trump debate, some in Boyle Heights wonder if either is a viable candidate
President Joe Biden and Donald Trump squared off in the first presidential debate of 2024, and their bizarre back-and-forth led many to wonder if either is a viable candidate. The Thursday debate marked the first time a standing president and former president engaged in a debate. Biden, 81, and Trump, 78, discussed hot-topic issues such as immigration policy, abortion rights, the economy and the Biden administration’s handling of the war and humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
Metro approves plan to create its own police force
Citing improved costs, the Los Angeles Metro Board of Directors voted Thursday to move forward with a plan to create its own police force, amid a string of violent crimes across the transit system. The Transit Community Public Safety Department Implementation Plan (TCPSD) would establish an in-house safety team and...
Supreme Court gives cities in California and beyond more power to crack down on homeless camps
The U.S. Supreme Court today granted cities more power to arrest, cite and fine people who sleep outside in public places — overturning six years of legal protections for homeless residents in California and other western states. In Grants Pass v. Johnson, the court sided with Grants Pass in...
They first bonded over food. Now this queer couple helps feed the Eastside community
This Pride month, we’re featuring queer couples who are making a difference on the Eastside. Through activism, art, business and more, these couples have found unique ways to give back to the communities they most identify with – all while being unapologetically in love. Erika Crenshaw remembers the...
LAUSD approves $18.4-billion budget. Here’s what you need to know
The Los Angeles Unified School Board on Tuesday approved an $18.4 billion budget for next school year that will avoid layoffs, maintain funds for faculty raises and provide additional support for arts programs, among other things. But declining enrollment and expiring pandemic-era federal funding pose an uncertain future for the district.
Food Deserts: The struggle for healthy options in lower-income communities
On a recent routine checkup, the doctor gave my mom and me her usual recommendations: drink more water and exercise more. This time, she also suggested that we buy organic foods — like eggs and vegetables — especially she noted from grocery stores like Sprouts or Trader Joe’s. The doctor said it would improve our overall health.
We asked patrons and vendors of East L.A.’s Queer Mercado what queer joy looks like
On a recent Saturday morning at the East L.A. Civic Center, señoras carrying fresh produce trickle out of the farmers market while dozens of people – some in sparkly midriffs or decked out in all colors of the rainbow– make their way into the Queer Mercado. It’s...
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