Interested in WeHo Pride text updates- Opt-in by texting ‘Pride’ to (323) 848-5000

WEST HOLLYWOOD – The City of West Hollywood is reminding community members who want to be in the know about all things WeHo Pride to opt-in to the City’s text message program by texting “Pride” or the rainbow emoji (🌈) to (323) 848-5000.

Users may unsubscribe at any time by texting STOP to the number. Details about the text message program are provided at www.weho.org/text. Regularly updated information about WeHo Pride, including a calendar of events, can be found at www.wehopride.com. 

The City’s text platform does not function as a voice number and is not monitored for questions; West Hollywood City Hall may be reached for voice calls at (323) 848-6400. Service requests may be submitted via the City of West Hollywood Official App or using the City’s website by visiting www.weho.org/servicerequest.

Community members are advised that the text message program is not a tool for emergency alerts/notifications. The City of West Hollywood and the West Hollywood Station of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department provide community safety and emergency alerts/notifications via Nixle, which is used by more than 8,000 public safety agencies. Nixle alerts may include severe weather or traffic information, criminal activity details, missing person alerts, and more.

To opt-in, text a West Hollywood ZIP code to 888777. More information is available at www.nixle.com. Los Angeles County, additionally, provides emergency notification text messages via Alert LA County; more information is available at ready.lacounty.gov/alerts.

The City’s text message program is built on the Community platform, which is currently used by corporations, public figures, sports teams, celebrities, and government entities such as President Joe Biden, former President Barack Obama, Former First Lady Michelle Obama, The White House, and more.

The platform helps users to choose subjects about which they prefer to receive text messages and will not distribute unrelated advertising or spam messages. As the first municipal government using Community, the City of West Hollywood has enjoyed a unique opportunity to help shape a new standard of local government text communications.

The City’s text message program is part of an array of ways that the City works to engage with community members including:

City website news – www.weho.org/news 

City events and meetings calendar – www.weho.org/calendar

Engage WeHo – engage.weho.org

Opt-in email subscriptions – www.weho.org/email

WeHoTV YouTube channel – www.youtube.com/wehotv

WeHo TV broadcast and streaming – www.weho.org/wehotv

The City maintains social media pages across all major platforms and urges community members to follow the City (@wehocity) and turn on notifications to get the latest news, updates, and information. Visit www.weho.org/socialmedia for details.

For more information about the City of West Hollywood’s text message program, please contact Jayce Simpson, City of West Hollywood Digital Media Officer, at (323) 848-6402 or at [email protected].

For people who are Deaf or hard of hearing, please call TTY (323) 848-6496.

City of West Hollywood Recognizes May as Building Safety Month

The City of West Hollywood recognizes May as Building Safety Month. The City will host a Building and Safety Division Open House event on Tuesday, May 7, 2024 from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. at the West Hollywood City Hall Courtyard, located at 8300 Santa Monica Boulevard at Sweetzer Avenue. The community is invited to meet City staff, learn about the work of the Building and Safety Division, and enjoy light refreshments.

Building Safety Month is an international campaign that takes place in May to raise awareness about building safety. This campaign reinforces the need for the adoption of modern, regularly-updated building codes, and helps individuals, families and businesses understand what it takes to create safe and sustainable structures.

The City of West Hollywood’s Building and Safety Division is responsible for the enforcement of the building, electrical, plumbing, and mechanical codes as adopted by the City Council. The Division is also responsible for enforcement of the California State accessibility regulations and energy conservation regulations. The Division reviews and processes building permit applications, performs plan check reviews of construction documents and performs building inspections for construction projects in the City. These services are provided directly to the community using a variety of methods including a public counter, website, phones, mail, e-mail, and extensive field site visits.

Each May, the International Code Council, its members, and a diverse partnership of professionals from the building construction, design, and safety communities come together with corporations, government agencies, professional associations and nonprofits to promote building safety through proclamations, informational events, legislative briefings, and more. The City understands the need for safe and sustainable structures where we live, work, and play.

All communities need building codes to protect their citizens from disasters like fires, earthquakes, weather-related events, and structural collapse. Building codes are society’s best way of protecting homes, offices, schools, manufacturing facilities, stores, and entertainment venues. Code officials work day in and day out to keep the public safe.

For more information about the City of West Hollywood’s building and safety division, please visit the Building and Safety area on the City’s website or contact Cynthia Zabala, the City of West Hollywood’s Senior Plan Check Engineer, at [email protected] or at (323) 848-6892.

For people who are Deaf or hard of hearing, please call TTY (323) 848-6496.

‘Public Safety Meet and Greet’ on May 1 at Plummer Park

The City of West Hollywood invites community members to a Public Safety Meet and Greet event on Wednesday, May 1, 2024 at 6 p.m. at Plummer Park’s Community Center, located at 7377 Santa Monica Boulevard. Drop in; no RSVP is needed.

Attendees will have an opportunity to meet City staff members from its Community Safety Department, as well as members of the City’s Public Safety Commission and representatives from the West Hollywood Station of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, Los Angeles County Fire Department Station 7 and Station 8, and Block by Block Security Ambassador program. 

This informal event will provide interactions with the City’s public safety partners and a place to learn about available resources and discover ways to actively contribute to keeping West Hollywood a safe place – all while enjoying pizza, salad, vegan options, and other refreshments.

The City of West Hollywood’s Community Safety Department works to ensure public safety and to strengthen the quality of life for residents, businesses, and visitors in West Hollywood. The Community Safety Department fosters a community policing approach and works with a variety of organizations, agencies, and partners to provide targeted community programs to reduce crime and increase neighborhood livability; to facilitate emergency management and disaster preparedness; and to coordinate law enforcement, fire, and emergency medical services personnel for all major special events utilizing a unified command approach. Community Safety programs and services are provided though the Public Safety Administration Division and Neighborhood and Business Safety Division in collaboration with the West Hollywood Station of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, the Los Angeles County Fire Department, and the Block by Block Security Ambassadors program. The Community Safety Department serves as the direct liaison to the City’s Public Safety Commission and Business License Commission.

For the latest updates and information, please download the City’s Community Safety in the City of West Hollywood publication.

For more information please contact Anita Shandi, the City of West Hollywood’s Public Safety Manager, at [email protected] or at (323) 848-6446.

For people who are Deaf or hard of hearing, please call TTY (323) 848-6496.

Hepatitis C Community Educational Forum

The City of West Hollywood will host a free Hepatitis C Community Educational Forum in Los Angeles County. The forum will take place on Wednesday, May 8, 2024 at 6:30 p.m. at the City of West Hollywood’s Council Chambers/Public Meeting Room, located at 625 N. San Vicente Boulevard. The forum will be preceded by a reception with a light dinner, courtesy of Gilead. Pre-registration is requested via Eventbrite. Limited parking will be available in the adjacent 5-story West Hollywood Park parking structure and event attendees will receive a two-hour validation.

The Forum will also be available for viewing on WeHoTV. Broadcast will be provided in West Hollywood on Spectrum Channel 10; the Forum will be streamed on the City’s WeHoTV YouTube channel www.youtube.com/wehotv and on Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, Android TV, Roku streaming platforms by searching for “WeHoTV” using search functions.

“Hepatitis C is on the rise nationally and here in Los Angeles County we are seeing the highest numbers of newly infected people in California,” said City of West Hollywood Mayor John M. Erickson. “It’s important that our community is aware of ways to avoid becoming infected, but also to provide a forum to educate those who are at elevated risk of contracting the virus about the importance of getting tested and seeking treatment.”

The Hepatitis C Community Educational Forum will feature a moderated panel discussion with physicians and public health policy experts, including:

• Dr. Jeffrey Klausner, MD, MPH, Clinical Professor of Medicine, Infectious Diseases and Population and Public Health Sciences and former CDC medical epidemiologist, and San Francisco City and County Deputy Health Officer;
• Prabhu Gounder, MD, medical epidemiologist with the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health overseeing surveillance and outbreak investigations for viral hepatitis, healthcare-associated infections, and respiratory diseases including influenza; and
• Brian Risley, MFA, Manager of the HIV/Hep C Health, HIV & Older Adults and Women Together Programs at APLA Health, and Co-Chair of the Hepatitis C Task Force for Los Angeles County.

The panel discussion will be moderated by Hernán Molina, MPA, Governmental Affairs Liaison for the City of West Hollywood. 

Hepatitis C is a liver disease caused by the hepatitis C virus (HCV). If left untreated, HCV can lead to serious health complications, including liver cancer, cirrhosis, and death. The virus usually spreads when someone comes into contact with blood from an infected person. A great majority of people become infected with HCV by sharing needles, syringes, or any other equipment used to prepare and inject drugs. While uncommon, hepatitis C can spread during sex, though men who have sex with men (MSM) with HIV have the highest risk of acquiring HCV sexually, and MSM on PrEP are at elevated risk. Approximately 10% of new HCV cases reported are among MSM.  

Hepatitis C can spread when getting tattoos or body piercings in unlicensed facilities, informal settings, or with non-sterile equipment. Many people who are newly infected with HCV do not have symptoms and do not know they are infected. Approximately 20% of people newly infected with HCV can clear the virus in the first six months; however, a majority of people develop chronic hepatitis C, which is a lifelong infection that stays in the body. 

Testing for HCV, which is the only way to know if the virus is present, is very important for those groups most at risk of infection. An antibody test will reveal if a person has been infected with the hepatitis C virus — either recently or in the past. If there is a positive antibody test result, another blood test is needed to tell if the infection remains active or if it was a past infection and cleared on its own.

New cases of HCV have been on the rise nationally, including in the state of California. From 1994 to 2018, there were 714,737 new chronic cases of HCV reported to the California Department of Public Health. In 2018, Los Angeles County had the highest number of newly reported chronic HCV cases among non-incarcerated people in the state of California. There are currently 2.4 million people in the United States living with HCV. In recent years, HCV has been related to more deaths than HIV. As there is no vaccine to prevent HCV, the only effective way to prevent getting infected is to avoid contact with infected blood, especially through sharing needles or syringes. There are new and highly effective direct-acting drugs available that have a nearly 100 % cure rate. 

A high percentage of individuals who are aware of their HCV+ status do not seek treatment. According to a September 21, 2022 report by the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), only one in three HCV+ patients who have insurance seek timely treatment, and patients who are covered by MediCal are 46% less likely to receive treatment, even though HCV medications are fully covered.

 A recent survey of 533 cases in Los Angeles County’s Service Planning Area 4, which includes West Hollywood, shows that 84% of patients were aware of their HCV+ status but approximately 70% had not accessed treatment. This City of West Hollywood-hosted panel will seek answers as to why people are not accessing treatment when highly effective medicine is available; explore outreach conducted by the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health and the State’s public health agency, and examine best practices for cities to increase awareness of the presence of HCV, to educate about the effective treatments available, and to connect HCV+ individuals to treatment.

For more information about the Hepatitis C Community Educational Forum, please contact Hernán Molina, City of West Hollywood Governmental Affairs Liaison, at [email protected] or at (323) 848-6364.

For people who are Deaf or hard of hearing, please call TTY (323) 848-6496.

West Hollywood Encourages Community to Weigh-In on Policy Changes to the Sunset Arts & Advertising Program

West Hollywood is encouraging community members to provide feedback on proposed policy changes to the Sunset Arts & Advertising Program.  The Sunset Strip is where entertainment, nightlife, and iconic billboards set the scene for West Hollywood’s dynamic culture. Known for its innovative signage, the Sunset Strip has been a premier outdoor advertising venue since the 1960s and ’70s, when recording artists debuted albums on custom-painted billboards. Today, technology propels advertising into new realms, transitioning from painted murals and vinyl to dynamic and creative billboard displays.

The Sunset Arts & Advertising Program was adopted in 2019 with the intent to allow a limited number of new billboards on Sunset Boulevard. The program includes a rigorous design excellence competition where only a select number of applicants are awarded the opportunity to proceed with applications for new billboards. The proposed amendments will provide additional clarity for defined terms, clarify intent and vision principles, and strengthen the standards, including those around brightness and orientation of the new billboards. 

The proposed amendments focus on making guidelines, vision, and standards clearer for the public and applicants; clarifying the language of standards and guidelines to make them easier to understand and follow; bolstering the lighting standards with specific and measurable standards; and incorporating best practices into the policy. 

The City invites residents, businesses, and frequent visitors to share their feedback and suggestions on Engage WeHo. PDF documents of proposed amendments to the program, a map of billboard locations, the original Sunset Boulevard off-site signage policy, and the Sunset Boulevard lighting study are available by logging in or creating an account at  https://engage.weho.org/SAAP.  The feedback portal is open now and will remain open through Sunday, May 19, 2024 at 11:59 p.m. (You must be logged in to provide feedback). The City’s Community Development Department will gather feedback submitted during the review period and present proposed program updates at a future date.

Goals for the Sunset Arts & Advertising Program are:

• Revitalization: The principal benefit of the program is to help revitalize the Sunset Strip. Through this program, new development and façade remodels were encouraged and this has led to several projects completely redeveloping underutilized, and sometimes deteriorating sites;
• Historic Preservation: The program encourages the designation, restoration, and preservation of historic buildings. Once designated, the income from a billboard helps the property owner maintain the historic building;
• Streetscape and Public Realm: An important aspect of the program is the improved streetscape that is part of many of the projects. The goal is to create meaningful public realm enhancements that actively engage and enrich the pedestrian experience along Sunset Boulevard, providing interesting places to sit, to view, and to engage with streetscape elements, some of which will be interactive. Program projects also contribute to capital improvement projects, such as the Sunset & La Cienega Boulevard Intersection Improvement Plan, which will improve this intersection for both the pedestrian and the motorist;
• Economic Vitality: This program helps individual property owners and business owners with additional revenue to improve and maintain their buildings and businesses, thereby encouraging economic stability and growth. Iconic businesses such as the Rainbow Bar & Grill, the Roxy Theatre, the Whisky a Go-Go nightclub, and the Comedy Store will be ensured a stable and steady income, helping to maintain these important businesses on the Strip; and
• City Content & Arts Programming: Each billboard must provide a contribution of time (17.5% per hour, 10.5 minutes per hour) to city content (public City announcements and/or public art). At the top of every hour, full motion animated billboards will display ten and a half minutes of City content and/or arts programming curated by the City of West Hollywood in consultation with the City’s Arts and Cultural Affairs Commission. This is an important aspect of the program, helping the City achieve the goal of bringing art to everyone using Sunset Boulevard and adding to the vibrancy and aesthetics of the Sunset Strip, ensuring its importance and relevance as a world-famous destination.

For more information about the Sunset Arts & Advertising Program, please visit the City’s website. Feedback collection on proposed policy updates via https://engage.weho.org/SAAP will close on Sunday, May 19, 2024 at 11:59 p.m.

For people who are Deaf or hard of hearing, please call TTY (323) 848-6496.

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For up-to-date information about City of West Hollywood news and events, follow @wehocity on social media, sign-up for news updates at www.weho.org/email, and visit the City’s calendar of meetings and events at www.weho.org/calendar. 

West Hollywood City Hall is open for walk-in services at public counters or by appointment by visiting www.weho.org/appointments.  City Hall services are accessible by phone at (323) 848-6400 and via website at www.weho.org. 

Receive text updates by texting “WeHo” to (323) 848-5000.

SANTA MONICA, Calif. – Driving along the Pacific Coast Highway in Santa Monica it’s nearly impossible to miss the bright Irish Green building with the array of rooftop life-size statuary ranging from dinosaurs to knights of the crusade and even a superhero or two.

Since 1973 Patrick’s Roadhouse has been feeding Angelenos and tourists alike with an impressive menu and award winning cuisine. Celebrity Food Network chef Guy Fieri has even showcased the diner on two episodes of his popular show “Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives.” 

Chef-owner Anthony Fischler and his team have carried on the vision of founder Bill Fischler, who fifty years ago had envisioned a place where people could gather for delicious meals and good company. The diner has become an LA icon. and has served stars like Lucille Ball, Tom Hanks, Sean Penn, Goldie Hawn, Kurt Russell, Arnold Schwarzenegger and many, many others. It even gets a mention in the epic 1991 movie Point Break.

The Santa Monica Daily Press reported: There’s a tale on the diner’s website that tells of one time when Schwarzenegger was eating at his usual table and his mother wasn’t too impressed with what he’d ordered. She barged into the kitchen and announced to everyone that she was cooking instead. The end result was something called Bauernfrühstück, which is German for “farmer’s breakfast” and so it was renamed “The Governator” for easier pronunciation and put on the menu for all to order.

Patrick’s Roadhouse owner Anthony Fischler confirmed this, telling the Daily Press, “Oh yes, that’s 100% true. She [Schwarzenegger’s mom] basically took over the kitchen, you did not want to mess with her,” he said.

Now the diner is in financial distress, a legacy of the after shocks of the coronavirus pandemic that shuttered nearly all businesses in California during the mandated closures. According to a GoFundMe write-up, the diner was forced to shut its doors after 51 years this past week after being hit with a large rent deferral payment accumulated during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Fischler managed to keep all of his employees paid though struggled to stay afloat with limited revenue from takeout orders. Despite all of this, Fischler’s team forged on to support the community by providing meals to frontline workers, students, and first responders, though they found themselves unable to meet the demands of this accumulated rent when the deferral period ended, and the large lump sum just came due. 

Talking with the Santa Monica Daily Press, Fischler said the ultimate goal is to secure a new long-term lease and to raise a total of $250,000, with $200,000 to be allocated for back rent and $50,000 for immediate building improvements. Those improvements will help rejuvenate the establishment and ensure its immediate reopening.

“We’ve had quite a lot of interest from very big, high net-worth individuals who have come forward and conversations have begun, but it’s all very tentative and nothing has been signed,” Fischler says, also confirming that he’s spoken to Schwarzenegger as well.

Fischler stresses that the company that owns the land is not being unreasonable and they’re open to potential offers, once that specific amount of money has been raised. “There’s even been talk of trying to make the building a historical landmark,” he says.

Anthony Fischler and his team in addition to private angel donors are also asking Angelenos for their help.

“Every contribution counts, no matter how small. Your donation will not only help us save Patrick’s Roadhouse but it will also help to preserve a piece of Santa Monica’s history. Additionally, we have some big-name and famous customers who have pledged their support, and we hope you will join them in contributing to this cause,” said.

We understand that not everyone can contribute financially, and that’s okay. Your moral support and sharing of this campaign are equally valuable. *Please note: If we don’t reach our fundraising goal and secure a new lease, all funds raised will be returned to donors less fees charged by GofundMe.com.

We are deeply grateful for your support, whether it’s through a donation or simply spreading the word. Together, we can ensure that Patrick’s Roadhouse continues to serve delicious food, continues to create lasting memories, and continues to be a cherished part of Santa Monica for generations to come. Let’s save this American icon! Thank you for your generosity and love for Patrick’s Roadhouse.

If you are interested in helping to save this iconic and beloved diner head here: (Link)

Watch:

LOS ANGELES – Today, St. John’s Community Health – a network of community health centers serving South, Central, and East Los Angeles; the Inland Empire; and the Coachella Valley – announced they have been awarded $10 million by the California Strategic Growth Council (SGC) to help build a community resilience center in South Los Angeles. 

“To protect communities made most vulnerable to climate change by racist policies and practices, we must be proactive in treating environmental disparities and implementing climate preparedness plans,” said Jim Mangia, president and CEO of St. John’s Community Health. “We will build the Avalon Health Access and Resilience Center alongside the community it is meant to serve, offering a diversity of programs and services to treat both the symptoms and the root causes of the climate crisis.” 

The abundance of concrete, heavy traffic corridors, and lack of green space in South Los Angeles causes more extreme heat than in other areas of Los Angeles. Further, rapid gentrification has caused spikes in homelessness, leaving many people forced to live on the street and face dangerously hot weather with no respite. Increasing risk of wildfires also put people experiencing homelessness and low-income children at greater risk for respiratory illnesses.

St. John’s Community Health is one of nine applicants being awarded a community resilience center implementation grant.

Through this grant, St. John’s Community Health plans to build the Avalon Health Access and Resilience Center near their existing community health center and drop-in clinic serving unhoused people. The center will be a community-driven safe haven in South Los Angeles with the infrastructural capacity to prepare for, respond to, and recover from climate, public health, and other emergencies. 

The climate and community resilience center will incorporate wide-ranging disaster relief and environmentally sustaining campus amenities and services, including: accessible and adaptable indoor and outdoor spaces for cooling, emergency shelter, climate and community resilience classes and events, and a community garden.

Physical infrastructure elements will be integrated with year-round medical, dental, and behavioral health services, case management, educational programming, peer support, workforce training, basic-needs services, and other programs to address lack of access to resources for low-income people of color from a diverse group of priority populations living and working in South Los Angeles.

This first-of-its-kind center represents a significant step in expediting recovery efforts and building resilience among communities in South Los Angeles.

Moreover, the center will serve as a catalyst for community cohesion, bringing residents together to collaborate, share resources, and support one another. St. John’s anticipates serving at least 15,000 members from the priority populations at the Avalon Health Access and Resilience Center annually. 

MANHATTAN BEACH, Calif. – A photo of a sign with racial slurs and the hanging of what appeared to be a noose from a tree posted online on the neighborhood centric Nextdoor website Thursday has touched off a hate crime investigation Manhattan Beach Police confirmed.

Detective Seth Hartnell told City News Service uniformed patrol units responded to an isolated section of Sand Dune Park near Bell Avenue around 11:00 a.m. Thursday, but that officers did not find a noose hanging there. Hartnell said city workers removed the sign.

“Officers took a report documenting the incident, and Manhattan Beach Police Department detectives are investigating,” he said.

Anyone with information regarding the incident was urged to contact Manhattan Beach Police at (310) 802-5127.

LOS ANGELES – Southern California gas prices slightly decrease in almost every metro city, according to the Auto Club’s Weekend Gas Watch. The average price for self-serve regular gasoline in California is $5.41, which is four cents lower than a week ago. The average national price is $3.66, which is also one cent higher than a week ago.

The average price of self-serve regular gasoline in the Los Angeles-Long Beach area is $5.37 per gallon, which is two cents less than last week, 33 cents higher than last month, and 44 cents higher than last year. In San Diego, the average price is $5.36, which is two cents lower than last week, 34 cents higher than last month, and 45 cents higher than this time last year.

On the Central Coast, the average price is $5.33, which is two cents lower than last week, 31 cents higher than last month, and 43 cents higher than last year. In Riverside, the average per-gallon price is $5.29, which is three cents lower than last week, 37 cents higher than last month, and 45 cents higher than a year ago. In Bakersfield, the $5.31 average price is the same as last week, 40 cents more than last month, and 43 cents higher than a year ago today.

“For the first time in almost two months prices in Southern California have slightly decreased,” said Auto Club Spokesperson Doug Shupe. “The reasons for gas prices moving lower include slowing domestic gasoline demand between Spring Break and summer travel, as well as the cost of crude oil retreating.” 

The Weekend Gas Watch monitors the average price of gasoline. As of 9 a.m. on April 25, averages are:

By Paulo Murillo | LOS ANGELES – Ricky Martin is headlining LA Pride 2024 at Los Angeles State Historic Park. Christopher Street West Association (CSW) – the 501(c)3 nonprofit that has produced the iconic LA Pride celebration for more than 50 years – announced this week.

In a press release CSW stated that global icon Ricky Martin will headline LA Pride in the Park, with additional artists to be unveiled. As the first openly gay Latin artist to take center stage at the highly-anticipated Pride event of the year, this marks Martin’s first-ever headliner Pride performance.

LA Pride in the Park will return to the Los Angeles State Historic Park on Saturday, June 8. Across 20 acres and with a capacity for 25,000, LA Pride in the Park is one of the most sought-after and largest Official Pride concerts in the country. Additionally, the official theme for this year’s Pride season is “Power in Pride,” which celebrates the LGBTQIA+ community’s ability to live authentically.

General Admission and VIP Passes are now available to purchase at lapride.org.

“I am thrilled to be headlining LA Pride in the Park because it’s an incredible opportunity to celebrate love, diversity, and equality,” said Martin. “LA Pride is a testament to the power of community, the power of visibility, and the power of standing up for our rights. Being part of this vibrant community fills me with pride and purpose.”

“With his electrifying stage presence and chart-topping hits, Ricky Martin has long been an inspiration to millions around the world,” said Gerald Garth, board president of CSW/LA Pride. “His participation in LA Pride in the Park goes beyond mere entertainment; it symbolizes a powerful affirmation of queer Latin identity and a celebration of diversity within the LGBTQ+ community. We cannot wait to be ‘Livin’ La Vida Loca’ while beaming with Pride!”

Ricky Martin, a global music icon, is a multi-talented artist known for his accomplishments as a singer, songwriter, actor and author. He has won multiple GRAMMY® Awards and is considered one of the most influential superstars in history, often referred to as the “King of Latin Pop.” Throughout his nearly four-decade career, Martin brought Latin music and culture to the mainstream, paving the way for crossover talent.

Born in Puerto Rico, Martin gained fame as a member of the popular Latin American band Menudo before embarking on a successful solo career. Notably, he became the first Latin American male to star in a MAC Viva Glam Campaign, raising significant funds for HIV/AIDS research. With over 180 awards, including two GRAMMY® and four Latin GRAMMY® Awards, Martin made history and has been recognized as the youngest-ever “Person of the Year” by the Latin Recording Academy.

He is also an accomplished actor, earning an EMMY® nomination for his role in FX’s “The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story” and displaying his talent on Broadway. He starred in “Jingle Jangle” for Netflix, opposite Forest Whitaker, Anika Noni Rose and Hugh Bonneville and can now be seen in the highly lauded Apple TV series “Palm Royale” alongside Laura Dern, Kristen Wiig, Allison Janney and Carol Burnett.

Beyond his artistic achievements, Martin is a dedicated philanthropist. He established the Ricky Martin Foundation, which actively fights against human trafficking and modern-day slavery. As a Global Ambassador for UNICEF, he has provided significant support to communities affected by natural disasters.

Martin has received numerous humanitarian awards, including the Hispanic Federation’s “Humanitarian Award” and the Human Rights Campaign’s “National Visibility Award.” In recognition of his contributions, the City of New York declared “Ricky Martin Day” to honor his artistic legacy and philanthropic work.

Information about parking, transportation, safety, security, medical support, participating vendors, and further programming will be available soon.

For sponsorship and other talent inquiries, contact LA Pride at [email protected]. For more information, follow @lapride on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter.

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Paulo Murillo is Editor in Chief and Publisher of WEHO TIMES. He brings over 20 years of experience as a columnist, reporter, and photo journalist. Murillo began his professional writing career as the author of “Love Ya, Mean It,” an irreverent and sometimes controversial West Hollywood lifestyle column for FAB! newspaper. His work has appeared in numerous print and online publications, which include the “Hot Topic” column in Frontiers magazine, where he covered breaking news and local events in West Hollywood. He can be reached at [email protected]

The preceding article was previously published at WeHo Times and is republished with permission.

By Paulo Murillo | WEST HOLLYWOOD – When news broke that the Abbey Food & Bar and its sister location the Chapel at The Abbey sold to hotel entrepreneur Tristan Schukraft this past November, the big question on everyone’s mind was, for how much? According to a report by Commercial Observer, the 14,200-square-foot properties at 686 and 692 North Robertson Boulevard traded hands for $27 million.

UPDATED:

Commercial Real Estate Title Insurance VP, Jacki Ueng at Ticor Title (FNF) revealed the real estate sale and business acquisition of The Abbey WeHo in West Hollywood which closed this week on April 22, 2024. The final price hotel entrepreneur Tristan Schukraft paid The Abbey founder David Cooley to acquire The Abbey enterprise is a whopping $45,000,000.00.

The breakdown of the sale is as follows:

• Real estate sale price: $27,000,000.00
• Business sale price: $18,000,000.00 (for the Abbey WeHo and The Chapel at The Abbey)
• Asking Price: $50,000,000.00
• The total purchase: $45,000,000.00

The listing of both spaces was described as “a generational purchase opportunity to acquire one of the world’s most iconic nightclubs and restaurants, The Abbey and The Chapel at the Abbey, including its tangible and intangible assets with all branding and branding rights to the businesses, and trophy West Hollywood real estate. ‘The Abbey’ business, a fee simple interest of 686 N Robertson Blvd, and ‘The Chapel at The Abbey’ business with its interest in the lease at 694 N Robertson Blvd.”

David Cooley makes emotional exit as owner of The Abbey WeHo

David Cooley sold a majority of his stake of The Abbey to hospitality and entertainment company SBE Group in 2006. According to reports SBE paid close to $10 million for a 75 percent stake. Cooley stayed on as President. SBE Group planned to open additional Abbey bars in popular gay destinations across the country, but those plans never panned out. Cooley bought the Abbey back in 2015, a year shy of the Abbey’s 25-year-anniversary. The Abbey recently celebrated 33 years.

Cooley also listed his home for sale in L.A.’s historic Hancock Park neighborhood back in March. Cooley purchased the brick structure designed by architect Henry F Withey for $1.9 million in 2001. The home sold for $6,786,400. His asking price was $7,695,000. The home is widely known for hosting several fundraisers throughout the past four decades.

Cooley made a tearful exit on his last day as owner of two of West Hollywood’s most iconic nightclubs on Thursday, April 11. He officially turned over the reins to new owner Schukraft.

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Paulo Murillo is Editor in Chief and Publisher of WEHO TIMES. He brings over 20 years of experience as a columnist, reporter, and photo journalist. Murillo began his professional writing career as the author of “Love Ya, Mean It,” an irreverent and sometimes controversial West Hollywood lifestyle column for FAB! newspaper. His work has appeared in numerous print and online publications, which include the “Hot Topic” column in Frontiers magazine, where he covered breaking news and local events in West Hollywood. He can be reached at [email protected]

The preceding article was previously published at WeHo Times and is republished with permission.

By John Ferrannini, Assistant Editor | SACRAMENTO – A judge has sided with the state of California in the matter of a conservative group that sued over the title and summary Attorney General Rob Bonta assigned to its ballot measure that would strip rights from transgender minors.

As the Bay Area Reporter previously reported, Protect Kids California is gathering signatures for a ballot measure that would ban trans minors from receiving gender-affirming care; ban trans girls from female competitive sports, locker rooms and bathrooms; and require public schools to disclose students’ gender identities to parents if they say they are different than their sex at birth.

Protect Kids California has until May 28 to collect some 550,000 valid signatures in order to place the measure before state voters on the November 5 ballot. Most LGBTQ leaders doubt it will be successful in reaching that threshold.

In preparing a ballot title and summary for the measure, Bonta titled it “Restricts Rights of Transgender Youth.” It prompted the Liberty Justice Center to file a lawsuit February 13 in Sacramento County Superior Court on behalf of Protect Kids California that alleged Bonta’s personal beliefs led to a biased title and summary. Therefore, the center contended the ballot measure proponents should be given 180 additional days for signature gathering without discounting signatures already collected.

“Respondent [Bonta] has demonstrated that he personally, and in his official capacity, is opposed to any kind of notification by a public school to a parent or guardian that his or her child is exhibiting signs of gender dysphoria when the child asks the school to publicly treat him or her as the opposite sex with a new name or pronouns, and to allow the child to use the sex-segregated facilities of the opposite sex,” claimed the groups in their lawsuit.

But a Sacramento Superior Court judge sided with Bonta in a ruling that was first issued tentatively April 19 and was made final April 22. Judge Stephen Acquisto ruled that Bonta’s title and summary are accurate.

“Under current law, minor students have express statutory rights with respect to their gender identity,” Acquisto stated. “A substantial portion of the proposed measure is dedicated to eliminating or restricting these statutory rights. … The proposed measure would eliminate express statutory rights and place a condition of parental consent on accommodations that are currently available without such condition.

“The proposed measure objectively ‘restricts rights’ of transgender youth by preventing the exercise of their existing rights. ‘Restricts rights of transgender youth’ is an accurate and impartial description of the proposed measure,” Acquisto added.

The attorney general’s office has some leeway when it comes to determining ballot titles, the judge noted.

Bonta is “afforded ‘considerable latitude’ in preparing a title and summary,” Acquisto ruled.

He found, “The court’s task is not to decide what language best captures the essence of the proposed measure, but to decide whether the language chosen by the Attorney General is ‘untrue, misleading, or argumentative.’ The Court finds that the Attorney General’s use of the term ‘restricts rights’ does not render the title and summary untrue, misleading, or argumentative.”

A spokesperson for Bonta stated April 23, “We are pleased with the court’s decision to uphold the Attorney General’s fair and accurate title and summary for this measure.”

In an April 19 statement posted to its Facebook page, the Liberty Justice Center said it was “evaluating next steps” in light of the judge’s decision.

“While we are disappointed that the court precluded evidence establishing AG Bonta’s bias, we appreciate that the matter has been taken under submission by the judge,” stated center officials.

In a statement provided to the B.A.R. on April 24, after news that the decision had been made permanent, Protect Kids California attorney Nicole Pearson stated, “The mental gymnastics used to justify this prejudicial title and summary are not only an egregious abuse of discretion that entitles our clients to an appeal, but a chilling interpretation of law that jeopardizes the very foundation of our constitutional republic. We are reviewing our options for an appeal of these clear errors and will announce a decision shortly.”

Tony Hoang, a gay man who is the executive director of statewide LGBTQ advocacy organization Equality California, stated to the B.A.R. that “we are pleased with the judge’s ruling.”

“California should be a safe and welcoming place for everyone, which is why we have longstanding laws in effect that protect and preserve the rights of LGBTQ+ youth and their families,” Hoang stated. “This proposed initiative seeks to undo these critical protections and make our schools and communities less safe for all youth.”

Politico’s California Playbook newsletter reported last month that the Protect Kids California measure is struggling. “The campaign has so far collected less than a fifth of what it would need to qualify for the ballot,” Politico reported. “It does not appear on track to meet a May 28 deadline.”

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The preceding article was previously published by the Bay Area Reporter and is republished with permission.

New on the County Channel

Welcome to Budget Quest: the game where billions of dollars and services for millions of people are at stake! Watch this video as Buddy the Budget Wiz navigates the County’s complex budget process to build and fund a new program.

To learn more about the County’s $45.4 billion 2024-25 recommended budget, visit ceo.lacounty.gov/budget.

You can watch more stories like this on Channel 92 or 94 on most cable systems, or anytime here. Catch up on LA County Close-Up here.

In Case You Missed It

April is “Child Abuse Prevention Month” in Los Angeles County

In L.A. County, there are more sleep-related deaths than all other accidental child deaths. These deaths are completely preventable. Accidental suffocation is the greatest risk for babies under age 1. These deaths are silent and quick. It just takes seconds for a baby to suffocate.

Below are some resources for parents and caregivers to learn more about safe sleeping practices:

• Inter-Agency Council on Child Abuse and Neglect: Infant Safe Sleep
• LA County Department of Public Health: Maternal, Child & Adolescent Health
• National Institute of Child Health and Human Development: Safe to Sleep® 

At Your Service

DEO Small Business Summits

Get ready, LA County! Join the LA County Department of Economic Opportunities and partners for the ultimate small business boost at the upcoming LA Region Small Business Summit series, kicking off Small Business Month on April 29th at the iconic Los Angeles Coliseum with the City of Los Angeles. Five power-packed FREE Summits throughout May, celebrating all small businesses, entrepreneurs, and County residents in style!

Discover a trove of FREE resources, services, and programs aimed at helping your business grow and thrive. From expert panel discussions to a bustling resource expo and beyond – we’ve got everything you need to elevate your business — all under one roof! Ready to supercharge your small business journey? Don’t miss out! Register now for a Summit near you by visiting here.

Out and About

The LA County Fair is Back May 3!

This year the LA County Fair celebrates the medley of communities that comprise Los Angeles County with its theme Stars, Stripes & Fun. LA County is one of the most diverse counties in the nation, brimming with a mix of cultures and communities, and the LA County Fair celebrates them all! 

Join us at the Fair as we celebrate all things LA County on Saturday, May 4! Enjoy the LA County Expo showcasing all the great things the county is doing in our neighborhoods and take advantage of this discount offer. Admission is just $8 through May 3 at 11:59 p.m. Admission is $10 the day-of, May 4, 2024.

Get your tickets today and be sure to use the password “LACOUNTY” at check out for the discount price! 

Photo Finish

Click here to access more photos of LA County in action.

By Paulo Murillo | MODESTO, Calif. – The West Hollywood Poetry Team brought home the winning trophy after competing at the Chill List Poetry Slam Invitational in Modesto on Saturday, April 20. Amongst a competitive field, the West Hollywood poets emerged triumphant, claiming the top prize in a dynamic display of original verse.

The event, renowned for spotlighting the nation’s premier slam poetry collectives, saw teams vying for a $2000 award through a series of group and solo performances. Five judges from the audience awarded points to teams based on the strength of their poems and the quality of their performance. West Hollywood won with a cumulative score of 113.4, beating our competing teams from Oakland (111.4), Salt Lake City (110.1), and Visalia (108.7).

“The West Hollywood team brought brilliance to the Chill List stage,” said Chill List founder and host Sam Pierstorff. “Our Modesto audience loved their range from the humorous to the deeply emotional, intellectual, and inspirational.”

The genesis of the West Hollywood Slam Team dates back to July 2023, initiated by former West Hollywood Poet Laureate Brian Sonia-Wallace and poet/coach Nate Lovell, the architects behind The Mic @ Micky’s WeHo. Comprising both founders and five standout poets from Micky’s, including Meliza “Missy Fuego” Bañales, Dan “Pastiche Queen” Lovato, Tee Gardiner, and Raul Herrera, the team embodies the vibrant spirit of its locale.

According to Pastiche Queen, a team member, the collective mirrors the essence of West Hollywood itself, fostering a sense of community and mutual support. “The team operates as a microcosm of West Hollywood itself; nobody is gonna take care of us like we take care of us.”

Missy Fuego, a seasoned slam veteran and team member, underscored the historic significance of their ensemble. “The West Hollywood team is not only the first slam team in WeHo, it’s the first all Queer/Non-Binary/Non-Labeled Slam Team in North America,” they said. “For years, slam has typically been dominated by heterosexual and cis narratives, with one or two members representing the LGBTQ community. The West Hollywood Slam Team steps forth, proudly, as the first all-inclusive team to prioritize LGBTQ issues and culture as well as regularly center sexual orientation and gender.”

The West Hollywood Slam Team is currently creating a showcase performance with  revolving guest poets, and is available for Pride performance bookings through rentpoet.com.

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Paulo Murillo is Editor in Chief and Publisher of WEHO TIMES. He brings over 20 years of experience as a columnist, reporter, and photo journalist. Murillo began his professional writing career as the author of “Love Ya, Mean It,” an irreverent and sometimes controversial West Hollywood lifestyle column for FAB! newspaper. His work has appeared in numerous print and online publications, which include the “Hot Topic” column in Frontiers magazine, where he covered breaking news and local events in West Hollywood. He can be reached at [email protected]

The preceding article was previously published at WeHo Times and is republished with permission.