LINCOLN HEIGHTS ACTION COALITION SAYS NO ALCOHOL NEXT TO OUR SCHOOLS!”

LINCOLN HEIGHTS ACTION COALITION

“NO ALCOHOL NEXT TO OUR SCHOOLS!”

PRESS RELEASE

February 28, 2008

Contact: Father Mario Torres, (323) 221-3179

Hugo Pacheco, (323) 528-7605

MEDIA NOTE: Father Torres and residents available for interviews today and tomorrow

RESIDENTS OUTRAGED AT CITY DECISION TO CONTINUE TO BYPASS CITY ORDINANCES AND ALLOW SALE OF ALCOHOL NEXT TO SCHOOLS

LOS ANGELES – After eight hours of pleas from hundreds of concerned Lincoln Heights residents yesterday, the East Los Angeles Planning Commission voted 2-1 to deny the community’s appeal against a video arcade and the sale of beer and wine at the Las Villas development, which will be immediately next to three schools and near a Buddhist Temple. The overflow crowd asked the commission to uphold a pre-existing city ordinance prohibiting the sale of alcohol 500 feet from a school or religious institution. Two of three commissioners decided to support Councilman Ed Reyes and the developers and deny the community’s appeal.

“We walked in full of hope that the Commission would enforce the law, even though the Councilman had by-passed it,” explained concerned parent, Robert Vega. “Hundreds of people took the time to make their voices heard. They waited patiently past midnight just to be ignored. We simply don’t understand how the City can get away with breaking the laws established to protect our kids!”

“This is an absolute injustice!” exclaimed appellant and concerned resident, Hugo Pacheco. “We thought the system was set up to serve the people, but it’s obvious to us that the City is only interested in helping developers despite what the community may want.”

Father Mario Torres, Pastor at Sacred Heart Church, explained that the community will continue their fight to keep alcohol away from schools. They have requested a meeting with Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and will make an appeal to the State.

“The Mayor has made our children’s education a top priority,” said Father Torres. “The students at Lincoln High School already have to deal with gangs, crime and truancy problems, now they want to put a video arcade and sell alcohol right next door. We hope that Mayor Villaraigosa will help our community protect our kids and keep alcohol away from our schools.”

The proposed Las Villas Entertainment Center, at 3319-25 North Broadway, will be immediately next to three schools:

• Little Flower Missionary School for pre-school children - immediately behind;

• Gates Street Elementary School - directly in front;

• and Lincoln High School - directly across.

The development is also near:

• Gates Street Early Education Center;

• Kwan Ying Vietnamese Buddhist Temple;

• and The American Vietnam Chinese Friendship Association, which averages over 350 children who attend Chinese classes on both Saturdays and Sundays. Almost 4,000 children attend classes near the proposed development.

CD 14 Watch said...Even the Neighborhood Council Land Use Groups know that there are many restrictions to many types of business around a school. For example no dirty books in book stores or newspaper vending machines, or no alcohol within 500 feet of schools or churches, etc. These are ABC rules, not just City of LA rules. File a complaint with ABC. Its easy, its online and anonymous.


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