Letters
• Playa Vista, a view contrary to Moe
Stavnezer’s - Leslie Purcell
•
OFW Lottery - Cary Shulman
• Ancient
monoliths - Mary Bradford
• Ancient
monoliths - 2 - Kevin Morgan
Playa Vista
- a view contrary
to Moe
Stavnezer’s
To the
Beachhead:
Contrary and in addition to
several assertions made by Moe Stavnezer in regard to the Playa Vista
development:
The area east of Lincoln
Boulevard does contain federally-delineated wetlands, as well as many areas that
were wetlands, and/or could be restored as wetland and adjoining necessary
upland habitat. Playa Vista has been systematically grading and filling the
lands east of Lincoln for several years, including the central section which is
part of Phase 2 and for which the required Environmental Impact Report is not
yet finished. There is documentation of willow trees being bulldozed, marshes
being graded and filled-in, and trees being cut down that were habitat for
hawks, egrets, and other birds.
It is
not acceptable to dig up Native American graves, which would never happen at a
cemetery such as Holy Cross or Forest Lawn. The count at the current burial site
at Playa Vista is now 122 (6 graves constitutes a cemetery by state law, except
for Indian graves). People in the Native American community do not support the
desecration of this cemetery, but have asked that the burials be left in situ -
in place in the ground. There are tribal members who are paid to work as
monitors at the site, as required by law, however there is complicity by certain
monitors in supporting developers and signing off on
projects.
There has been great damage
to burials by Catellus at the bluff above the wetlands, also part of the
State-registered Sacred Site, Sa’angna. Catellus used giant earthmovers to
grade the bluff and it is believed that many burials were
destroyed.
A Federal lawsuit has been
filed by Johntommy Rosas, vice-chair of the Gabrielino/Tongva Indians of
California Tribal Council, enumerating many violations to State and Federal
statutes by both Playa Capital Corp. and
Catellus.
Catellus Development Corp.
(whose CEO is Nelson Rising, formerly of Maguire Thomas/Playa Vista) is equally
at fault for habitat destruction, including a vernal pool on top of the bluff,
and willow riparian habitat in Hastings Canyon, as well as the widespread
poisoning of small rodents and mammals on the bluff that hawks and herons
hunted.
According to an LA Times
article, the methane alarms at Playa Vista’s Fountain Park apartments have
gone off many times in the middle of the night, forcing residents to go
outdoors. Residents also state that there is no disclosure to tenants of
potential toxic and explosive gas
hazards.
Leslie
Purcell
*************
OFW
Lottery
Dear
Beachhead,
I understand the city is
rethinking their lottery idea for the allocation of spaces on the Venice
broadwalk.
They shouldn't just rethink it,
they should put it out of their minds completely. The freedom of speech
guaranteed by the Bill of Rights may not apply to vendors of sunglasses but it
definitely does apply to the political activists and artists who have always
been the lifeblood of the Venice boardwalk scene.
In fact, the merchants that do sell
their sunglasses and t-shirts etc. on Venice Beach owe their success in
large part to these political activists and artists who have given Venice the
reputation that has drawn people from far and wide to its
beaches.
Cary
Shulman
***********
Ancient monoliths
Dear
Beachhead,
This letter is in response
to the descriptive narrative on “Ancient monoliths found on Venice
Beach.” Issue 272, Feb. 2004.
The
artist of the rock sculptures is Kevin Morgan. He is academically trained in
Fine Art and studied in Santa Barbara, CA. Mr. Morgan is a real person, not a
mythical, primitive Venetian who has drug-induced
visions.
The rock sculptures are called
“Angels.” They are a memorial dedicated to the victims of the Santa
Monica outdoor market-place who died a violent death when hit by a car. Also
remembered are others who were victims of a senseless
death.
On a technical basis the balance
betwee
n the rocks is precise. They rise
upward, connected by a strong yet fragile
tension.
Seen from a distance, Kevin
Morgan’s “Angels” are evocative. A deep sense of mystery
surrounds them. Who, what and where are they from? They appear strong, brave and
filled with hope.
Thank you for reading
this letter. Sometimes the more you know, the more interesting life
becomes.
Mary
Bradford
*************
Ancient
monoliths - 2
My name is Kevin Morgan,
and I’m a Venice local for some 27
years.
I would like to inform, not only
the photographer, Jim Smith, but also the Venice Beachhead that on page one
(February 2004) you have pictures of some rock statues that are balanced. They
aren’t done by a man out of Ventura named Stewart Finch, they are by
ME! I am the artist that does these for a memorial for about 94 deceased people
that use to live in Venice some 27 years ago that died senseless deaths (the
real locals).
I think you owe me an
apology for even printing my art work and giving credit when in fact you
don’t know the true story behind it. I am not bitter. Please don’t
get me wrong...(only at the wrong interpretation that was used to describe
my work in a respected paper, I
thought.
Why don’t you guys come
and meet me? I want to inform you correctly what it is you all talk about.
Weather permitting, I am there usually on Thursdays, Fridays and Sundays till
3pm. The other days from 10am till sunset. Been doing it for some six years
there. where you guys been?
Peace and hope to see you,. thank
you
kevin morgan
Posted: Mon - March 1, 2004 at 05:51 PM