Lisa Holmes

     Students at John W. Mack Elementary school take a risk crossing the street to or from school every day, according to school officials.
 

     The Jefferson Boulevard and Catalina Street intersection in South Los Angeles has an activated crosswalk marked by yellow lines on the pavement.  It also has a sign with two yellow lights and a button that pedestrians may use to turn the signal on to cross the street.  But, the light has only been in place for about eight months, said Sonia Marin, a school office technician. 

     Marin, who has worked for the school for two years and who also lives in the area, said the intersection is still dangerous for the children who have to cross the street to go home in the afternoon.

     "The parents are concerned because the crossing guard is there after school for about an hour.  When she leaves, then there's no one to cross the kids.  And there are some students who live in the University Gardens apartments that have to cross by themselves," said Marin.

     One concerned parent, Phil Lewis, whose son attends the elementary school, said he knew someone who was injured. 

     "About two years ago, my neighbor got hit there - he was in the 3rd grade," said Lewis, adding that the position of the light at the crosswalk needs to be changed because there are times when the sun makes it nearly impossible for drivers to see it. 

     Shadawn Gilbert, a crossing guard who has worked at this intersection since March of 2008, said things are better now that the light is working, but that there are still problems.

     "The worst time is in the morning when the sun glares and the traffic is coming and they stop right in the middle of the intersection," said Gilbert.

     She said there are other problems as well.  The heavy traffic in the morning backs up into the intersection creating, a dangerous situation where children have to cross between cars.  In the afternoon the main problem is drivers who are not paying attention and have to stop suddenly at the crosswalk.  Gilbert said she has seen several traffic accidents because of this behavior.

     Marin believes stronger actions need to be taken, and that the only solution is for the city to install an actual traffic light.

     The process is complicated.  Glen Ogura, the Principle Transportation Engineer at the Department of Transportation's Field Engineering Office in San Pedro, which handles much of South Los Angeles, said citizens have to complain about accidents or pedestrian-heavy intersections to add an activated crosswalk.  After the office has received requests from the public or from a city office to review an area, officials go to the intersection and count the number of cars, and pedestrians, he said.  The area's accident history is also reviewed.  All of this determines the course of action.

     The city has certain things it looks for before installing an actual traffic light in place of an activated crosswalk, but the process is similar, he said.  Another survey is conducted and any accident history is reviewed again before deciding to install a traffic light.

     "That has happened.  There are lots of factors, like is the location being used more than before by pedestrians; is it near a school and are school children using it," said Ogura.
Pedestrian safety is a large concern in Los Angeles.  Bruce Gillman of the Department of Transportation, said safety is primarily the responsibility of the people.  He said lights actually lull pedestrians into a false sense of safety, which is not a good thing.

     "People assume lights guaranty your safety, and they don't.  None do," said Gillman.

     A document under the TIPS & FAQs section of the Department of Transportation's Web site explains each type of crosswalk in detail.  While legally pedestrians have the right to cross in crosswalk, whether or not it's marked, they should never assume that drivers understand this and will automatically stop, according to the document. 

      A multicultural crowd in downtown Los Angeles clapped and cheered as President Barack Obama finished his inauguration speech Tuesday morning. 

     More than 1,000 people gathered at the Nokia Plaza for the L.A. Live even hosted by City Councilwoman Jan Perry to watch Obama take the oath of office.   People stood silently watching the giant screens, cheering only occasionally in unison with the crowd in Washington and waving flags with pride, as the new president spoke. 

     The Sylmar Recreation Center has been turned into a relief center for victims of the recent fire.  The relief center is filled with items for those who have lost everything. 

     They Sayre fire, which burned through Sylmar last week devastated the Oakridge Mobile Home Park destroying 500 of the homes according to one CNN article. 

     Volunteers from all over the surrounding area have come to help out by organizing items and providing assistance in finding things people need.

        Mary Ann Garcia heard about the relief center and decided to come volunteer her time today.  She explains that anyone who wants to come help out is welcome to and there's a volunteer sign-in sheet as well as a place for those looking for items to sign in.

     "There's shoes.  There is everything.  There's diapers, baby items, household items, clothing for men, women, and children," says Garcia. "You just come and pick out whatever you need."

     Michelle, a high school student, is here with some students from her school.  She says volunteering is part of her school credit and so they're here helping organize things.  She's been here since 8 a.m. and will be here until 12, but explained that other students will be coming throughout the day.

     Workers from the San Gabriel / Pomona chapter of the Red Cross were also present at the relief center.

     Harold Babb, one of the workers from the Red Cross explained what happens after a state of emergency is declared in an area.

     "Until Monday when the governor asked for federal assistance, it was pretty much a local effort.  It was operated primarily by the Greater LA chapter and then they asked for mutual aid from surrounding chapters once it became more of a national effort.  Then other resources came in - FEMA, the National Red Cross, and other agencies that are at the federal level."

     Red Cross worker, Jacqueline Bailey said "Once it becomes the national level; then they'll recruit from all over the United States."

     Allyn Huele explained that the Red Cross stays in an area as long as they're needed, sometimes for years.

     "Once it gets beyond the scope that the national chapter can handle and the governor declares the state of emergency then it goes to the national level and then once it starts winding down they'll release the national people and then it kinda goes slowly down to the local chapter.  So they'll have maybe one community assistance center open."

     "The host chapter will work until all the loose ends are tied up.  We'll work to the conclusion, but then it's up to the local chapter to tie up the loose ends," adds Babb.

     People gathered early in the morning of election day to cast their ballots. Some dressed for work and others appearing to have just finished a morning walk, they lined up at their designated polling place at St. Thomas the Apostle Episcopal Church in Hollywood.  A few had their children with them passing on the importance of this day.

     The line moved quickly as volunteers ushered people into their respective lines.  No one seemed too impatient as they waited.  Some talked on their cell phones and others visited with neighbors.

    At this early hour no one knew how the day would end, but the turn out was high.  By the time the polls close in California this day, much of the nation would be celebrating and glad that they took the time out of their schedule to vote.

This is part of an opinion essay I wrote for my broadcast class on the media coverage of election night and the days following the election. 

Something that struck me particularly was a story I heard about one ABC reporter who was criticized for his show of emotion in response to the election of Barack Obama.

     The second presidential debate provided little new information on either candidate.  The town hall style debate was a less formal setting than the previous debate.  Throughout the 90 minute debate the candidates broke many of the rules they'd put in place prior to the debate causing the moderator, Tom Brokaw, to chastise them between answers.

     At one point audience member, Igrid Jackson pointed out how quickly Congress moved on the economic crisis and asked Sen. McCain "I want to know what you would do in the first two years to make sure Congress moves fast as far as environmental issues, like climate change and green jobs?" 

     Hollywood is one of the main attractions bringing massive amounts of tourists to Los Angeles all year long.  It is also my neighborhood.  Hollywood is pretty much the last place on earth I ever thought I would be living, and I never dreamed that I might begin to grow somewhat fond of it after being here such a short time.  It's true Hollywood does seem to have every gimmicky tourist attraction a person could dream up that relates to the movie business.  And watching all the tourists attempting to get a good picture of the Hollywood sign (sometimes with one of them in it as well), reading the "Road to Hollywood" quotes and trying to figure out who the person is, and placing their hands or feet in the footprints of the stars in front of Grauman's Chinese Theatre was both amusing and somewhat fascinating.