Red Car Property Neighborhood: There's Nothing Scarier On The 4th Of July Than Hipsters With Fireworks*

*Post originally published July 2, 2014.

Photo: Diane Edwardson, July 4, 2013.  That giant airborne explosion is not a professional fireworks show, but illegal fireworks shot off by some idiot on the south (Silver Lake & Elysian Heights) side of the 5 Freeway, close to Corralitas Drive.  (Click on photos to enlarge.)

It seems every year we see more people shooting off illegal fireworks in the hills.  You can hear the gunpowder raining down on your roof, patios & trees - as I witnessed on Corralitas a couple years ago.  That same year, another neighbor was dumbstruck when he saw drunken hipsters shooting off similar fireworks way up on top of Micheltorena.  

ALL FIREWORKS ARE ILLEGAL IN THE CITY OF LOS ANGELES, UNLESS THEY ARE IN A PROFESSIONAL FIREWORKS SHOW.

Photo: Diane Edwardson, May 27, 2014.  The dying Eucalyptus tree is still hanging above Red Car Canyon today.  (APN 5440-030-033)  

In fact, only 2 of the dozen or so dead and dying Eucalyptus we highlighted in May trees were significantly trimmed back.

Photo: Diane Edwardson, June 27, 2014.  The dead weeds are taller than the allowed 3" within 100' of homes. 

Links: LAFD Brush Clearance Unit
All our brush clearance posts

LAPD and LAFD are telling people, if you see someone shooting off fireworks, call 1-877-ASK-LAPD. If you see smoke, safely investigate.  If you see fire (not a BBQ) call 911.

Corralitas Drive: Rainfall Totals

Photo: Corralitas Neighbor, January 23, 2017.  Taylor Yard is still there.  City Council's Arts Parks and LA River Committee has Taylor Yard on its agenda tomorrow.  (Click on photo to enlarge.)

We're tracking rainfall totals in the Corralitas Drive rain gauge:
(Storm #3 of 3 started late Saturday night and scattered showers are continuing as we post .)

January 21 - 23, 2017: 2.5"
Rain year to date: 17.85" 
3 storm total since Thursday: 5.2"
Since January 1, 2017: 10.25"

Downtown Los Angeles (USC) was at 14" for the rain year. 

Send us your Red Car Property neighborhood weather, mudwatch and wildlife related photos: redcarproperty@gmail.com

Follow us on Twitter for more timely photos and rain updates: @RedCarProperty

Red Car Property: High Surf Warning

April Fool's Post 2016

Photo: Diane Edwardson.  Early this morning, neighbors were alarmed to find a Killer Whale beached on the Red Car Property's Lot C.  Sea World was called to rescue the Orca but officials are not confident the whale would survive the road trip to San Diego. 

Some residents speculated the whale must have been an escapee from the mayor's planned Orca Park in the Elysian Valley Aquatic Preservation Zone, which includes Taylor Yard, in the soon to be revitalized LA River.  (Conditional Use Permits have not been issued for the Orca Park, as environmentalists are suing to block the salination of the LA River.)  The mayor has championed the Exotic Endangered Species Breeding and Preservation Overlay Zone (EESBPOZ) which would include Griffith & Elysian Parks, the river, all unbuilt hillside parcels between the parks and K-zoned parcels (horsekeeping parcels) in Atwater. 

The more likely scenario is the Orca is a member of a resident Southern California pod of Killer Whales that got caught in last night's high surf.  Why would anyone outside the actual coast take last night's high surf warning issued by the National Weather Service seriously?  The Red Car Property is a few hundred feet from the 5 Freeway and a couple of hundred feet above sea level. 

 

Disclaimer, the preceding portion of this post should not be taken as anything more than April Foolishness.  However... 

Actual High Surf Warning Map issued by the NWS on March 7, 2016.  This map has not been edited nor doctored. 

For months, whenever the NWS issued a High Surf Warning, the associated map showed the green warning area extending all the way to the 5 Freeway.  East of the 5 is the LA River. Maybe they need a new color for Urban Flood Advisory or LA River Flood Advisory does anyone more than a mile inland consider themselves as on the coast?

Enlarged from the previous map.  If the high surf reaches the Red Car Property or the 5 Freeway in Silver Lake, we're all in a lot of trouble. 

 

LA River: Stormwatch, Rainfall Totals

Photo: Joan Stevenson, January 31, 2016.  There's still a lot of arundo in the LA River at the historic landmark Fletcher  Bridge.  Photos shot from the southwest corner of Fletcher and Ripple at Moore Street. 

The Army Corps of Engineers is installing temporary flood barriers and removing vegetation from the riverbed from Griffith Park to the Fletcher Bridge. 

Photo: Joan Stevenson, January 31, 2016.  The high water mark for yesterday's rain was not so high, which is not so bad.  The river path is always closed on rain days and it is closed between Griffith Park and Fletcher while the barriers are in place.

We're tracking rainfall totals in the Corralitas rain gauge... 
January 31, 2016: 0.5"
Rain year* to date: 5.62"

*Normally, the "rain year" would have ended June 30.  However, this year California joined the rest of the country, and will report rainfall totals between October 1 to September 30.  Who expected to have significant rain between July 1 and October 1?  There will always be an asterisk next to the 2014-2015 rain year on Corralitas Drive, which ended with 15.17."  We got an unprecedented 4" between July 1 and September 30. 

Happy New Year!

Photo: Jonathan Vandiveer, December 11, 2015.  Resolve to run or walk more.  The LA River as seen from the Hyperion Bridge is a walkable distance from the Red Car Property.  (Click on photos to enlarge.)

Photo: Jonathan Vandiveer, October 14, 2015.  Head up the narrow trail adjacent to the City of Los Angeles Cultural Historic Landmark Viaduct Footings. 

Photo: Jonathan Vandiveer. October 14, 2015.  The Red Car Property is not a park, it just looks like one. Get out there and enjoy the spectacular sunrises and get fit in the new year.

Click here for what the trail on the Red Car Property looks like year round.

LA River: Socked In

Photo: Diane Edwardson, December 10, 2015.  Fog rolled up the LA River this morning. It only took about 15 minutes for Elysian Valley to disappear from view.   Above, the top of Glassell Park is barely visible above the fog.  The soccer fields at Taylor Yard are on the opposite side of the Metrolink train; Parcel G of Taylor Yard is on this side of the train; the river, Elysian Valley and the 5 Freeway are on this side of the of the power lines.  (Click on photos to enlarge.)

Photo: Diane Edwardson, December 10, 2015.  Radio Hill in Montecito Heights was barely visible above the fog.  Elysian Valley was quickly disappearing.

Photo: Diane Edwardson, December 10, 2015.  Going...

Photo: Diane Edwardson, December 10, 2015.  Gone.  I had to climb higher on the hill for this shot.  If you look very closely, you can see the tallest radio antenna poking out of the fog bank.  Elysian Valley warehouse rooftops are still somewhat visible on the lower left corner.

Photo: Corralitas Neighbor, December 10, 2015.  Did we sleep through the "The Big One" and Silver Lake became a suburb of the San Francisco Bay?  Seriously though, this photo illustrates the same atmospheric and topographic conditions that trap airborne pollutants close to the ground through the LA River corridor, which create particularly bad air quality conditions in Cypress Park and Elysian Valley. 

LA River To The Red Car Property: Get Up Early & Enjoy The Light

Photo: Jonathan Vandiveer, November 2015.  The weather is perfect for a LA River walk.  Seen here is the Atwater side of the LA River between Glendale Blvd and Fletcher.  (Click on photos to enlarge.)

Photo: Jonathan Vandiveer, November, 2015.  The Fletcher Bridge over the LA River is a City of Los Angeles Cultural Historic Landmark.

Photo: Jonathan Vandiveer, October 2015.  The Pacific Electric Red Car Viaduct Footings are a City of Los Angeles Cultural Historic Landmark.  They're two blocks from the LA River on Fletcher.

Photo: Jonathan Vandiveer, October 2015.  The Red Car Property is not a park, it just looks like one.  The trail from the viaduct footings goes a mile to the 2 Freeway and Corralitas Drive and further south along Corralitas Walk to Lake View Ave and Allesandro Way and the Holyland Exhibition.  

Note: Kotolo Milkweed is a native plant in the foreground of the last photo.  Its growing season is as screwed up as all the other plants this year.

Fletcher Drive & LA River: Looks Like Fall

Photo: Jonathan Vandiveer, November 22, 2015.  The native Sycamore trees are dropping their leaves for fall along Fletcher Drive between the Red Car Property and the LA River.  (Click on photos to enlarge.)

Photo: Jonathan Vandiveer, November 22, 2015.  The Fletcher Bridge over the LA River is a City of Los Angeles Historic Landmark.  You can access the river trail on either side of the bridge.  If you're on foot or have dogs on-leash, the Atwater side is less crowded, as the path is not as bike friendly.
 

Corralitas Drive: Spectacular February Style Clouds, Rainfall Totals

Photo: Diane Edwardson, October 5, 2015.  Yesterday's clouds were the type we see after a big February rainstorm, except these seemed to come prior to the rain Monday.

 

Photo: Diane Edwardson, October 5, 2015.  By afternoon, if you didn't like the light, wait ten minutes, the clouds would change dramatically, eventually dumping 1/4" of rain on us between 5-7PM.   

We're tracking rainfall totals in the Corralitas Drive rain gauge...
October 5, 2015: 0.35" 
Season to Date:  3.6"

Photo: Diane Edwardson, October 5, 2015.  By the time the sun set, the sky turned more friendly with subtle shades of pink and gray. 

LA River: 2nd Annual Boat Race, Saturday, August 8, 2015

Photo: Diane Edwardson, August 30, 2014.  Head on down to the LA River and watch Saturday's 2nd Annual LA River Boat Race.  (Click on photos of last year's event to enlarge.)

Saturday August 8, 2015
12-6 PM
Starting Line: Clearwater St at LA River

Photo: Diane Edwardson, August 30, 2014.  The LA River Mudpeople we by far the highlight for many on the shore in Elysian Valley.  They do give good photo op.

Photo: Diane Edwardson, August 30, 2014.  Stand-up paddle board (SUP) will return again this year.  No word if they've managed to attract Laird Hamilton yet.

Photo: Diane Edwardson, August 30, 2015.  The LA River through Elysian Valley is a great place for kids to explore.  

If you're heading to the river from the Red Car Property neighborhood, we recommend walking or biking there.  Show respect for our neighbors.  Elysian Valley is primarily a residential neighborhood with limited parking.  Special events can easily overwhelm the narrow streets. If you are taking your bike to the river, we remind you to slow down and share the path with pedestrians.

Click here for all our Elysian Valley posts. 

UPDATE: August 9, 2015.  See what you missed this year: The Eastsider

LA River: Red Car Trolley Bridge Footings Will Be Reused For New Pedestrian & Bike Bridge

Photo: Diane Edwardson, April 23, 2011.  The Big Red Cars last crossed the LA River at the Hyperion Bridge, June 19, 1955.  (Click on photo to enlarge.)

This morning, at a press conference in  Atwater's Red Car River Park, City Councilmembers Mitch O'Farrell (CD13) and Tom LaBonge (CD4) announced plans for the adaptive reuse of the Pacific Electric bridge footings as the foundation for a new pedestrian/bike bridge connecting Silver Lake with Atwater. 

The pedestrian/bike bridge is part of seismic retrofit of the Hyperion Bridge that has been in the works for a very long time - at least the past 10 years (possibly longer).  

There's also a public hearing at the Board of Public Works, this Friday, regarding the planned earthquake retrofit and lane alignment of the Hyperion Bridge.
 

LA River: Not Everyone Was Happy About Yesterday's Clean Up

Photo: Diane Edwardson, April, 19, 2015.  A female duck was awfully pissed-off and standing her ground on the west bank of the LA River path just below Fletcher in Elysian Valley.  (Click on photos to enlarge.)

I watched as most cyclists slowed down and gave her a wide berth as they passed.  She was staring at the island in the center of the river.  She did not even flinch when bikes went by at higher speeds.  She sometimes quacked at the island then turned around at quacked at her mate.  Her mate was hanging out off the path to the right, also staring at the island.  

Photo: Diane Edwardson, April 18, 2015.  The female only moved off the path when I passed cautiously with my dog on a very short leash, also giving her a wide berth.  (My dog wanted nothing to do with this crazy duck who was not afraid of bikes.)  Even then, she moved off the path, just a few inches onto the incline riverbank, never losing sight of what must have been her nest or her brood on the island.  I never saw either.  

The duck was not at all pleased to have dozens of kids running around her island.  She was one angry duck.

LA River: Annual Clean Up, Saturday, April 18, 2015

Photo: Diane Edwardson, 2010.  Although they're becoming more scarce, you'll still see shopping carts in the LA River.  (Click on photo to enlarge.)

Friends of LA River (FoLAR) presents

LA Gran Limpieza

The Great Los Angeles River Clean Up

Saturday April 18, 2015

9AM - Noon

6 Locations 

in the Glendale Narrows 

(our section of the river) 

Elysian Valley, Cypress Park: Metrolink Explains Their Health Risk Assessment TONIGHT

Photo: Diane Edwardson, January 12, 2012.  Metrolink has gotten better since 2012, but they haven't given us all the data we asked for, and then there's that issue of ongoing accountability.  (Click on photo to enlarge.)

Metrolink will present their Health Risk Assessment for their rail yard on San Fernando Road.   Attend the meeting & give them your opinion.  

Community Meeting

sponsored by

City Counilmembers Mitch O'Farrell (CD13) & Gil Cedillo (CD1) 

LAUSD Boardmember Bennett Kayser

Thursday, April 9, 2015

6 - 8 PM

Cypress Park Recreation Center
2630 Pepper Ave

Los Angeles, CA 90065

  

Info:

CD1: Jose Rodriguez Jose.A.Rodriguez@lacity.org or (323) 550-1538
CD13: Adam Bass Adam.Bass@lacity.org (213) 207-3015

Click here for all our Metrolink related posts

Corralitas Drive: Elysian Valley In The Mist

Photo: Corralitas Drive Neighbor, January 12, 2015.  Not only did Glassell Park & Lincoln Heights disappear in the mist yesterday, but so did the LA River, Elysian Valley and the 5 Freeway.  (Click on photo to enlarge.)

On a clear day, sunrise looks more like this.

Corralitas Drive: Stuff You Missed This YearSupermoon

Photo: Diane Edwardson,August 10, 2014.  The full moon was a "Supermoon," where the moon is at its closest orbit to earth.  (Click on photo to enlarge.)

Stuff You Missed This Year is our annual wrap up of interesting photos and things we just didn't have a chance to run, because everything seems to always happen at the same time.

LA River: Marsh Park Nature Events Friday & Saturday

Photo: Diane Edwardson, August 16, 2014.  The gates from Marsh Park to the LA River depict some of the wildlife you can see on the river.

The weather's perfect for a walk or bike ride down to the LA River.  This is a great time of year to see lots of wildlife in and around the river.  There is a small parking lot at Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy's Marsh Park, but the Red Car Property Neighborhood is close enough for you to bike or walk to Elysian Valley. (Before the freeways we were more connected to Elysian Valley).

Friday, November 28, 2014
10 AM 
River Life
Marsh Park
A ranger will lead a short walk, talking about the animals that call the river home. Presented by National Park Service. 1 hour, all ages.

Saturday, November 29, 2014
9 AM
Bird Walk
Marsh Park  
A naturalist will lead a bird walk & talk teach you how to ID LA River birds.  Be on the lookout for a rare osprey (a fishing eagle) that hangs out along that stretch of the river.  I've seen it a couple of times, but never seem to have a camera with me when I do see it. 
1 1/2 hours, presented by LA Audubon.

Then head on over to the Frog Spot at Benedict St on the LA River in Elysian Valley, sponsored by Friends of the LA River.

Click here for all our LA River related posts.

Click here for all our Elysian Valley related posts. 
 

Taylor Yard: Metrolink Completes Health Risk Assessment *Update: LAUSD Steps Up

Photo: Diane Edwardson, November 16, 2014, 7:48 AM. Almost 4 years after the community began organizing,   Metrolink blames the 5 Freeway for most of the pollution in the area.  (That's no excuse not to reduce their emissions - which their reductions seem to rely on a change over to more fuel efficient engines in the coming years.)  However the topography and atmospheric conditions trap the toxic brew including Diesel Particulate Matter (DPM) & Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2) close to the ground - particularly in the communities of Cypress Park, Glassell Park, Lincoln Heights & Elysian Valley.  (Click on photo to enlarge.)  

Photo shot from Corralitas Drive, Silver Lake.

UPDATE 11-27-14: LAUSD conducting their own HRA, as 9 schools are within a mile of the Metrolink Railyard. Elysian Valley Neighborhood Watch

IT Came From The LA River, Happy Halloween!

Photo: Diane Edwardson, September 30, 2014.  Perhaps that water isn't as clean as they would have you believe. (Click on photo to enlarge.) 

Have a safe Halloween.  Slow down while driving our neighborhood tonight, there are a lot of young kids in the neighborhood.

Elysian Valley: Frogtown Artwalk, Sat. Sept 13, 2014, 4 - 10 PM, Parking, Shuttles, Pedi-cabs, Transit Map!

There's no excuse to drive blindly around the Elysian Valley neighborhood for this Saturday's Frogtown Artwalk.  Park in one of the satellite parking areas or better yet walk or bike to Elysian Valley.  Thousands of people attend the annual event.  The Red Car Neighborhood (northwest of the 2 & 5 Freeway intersection) is close enough to bike or walk to the event.

All the info: Frogtown Arts