Report Of Possible Shots Fired - Three With Multiple Guns Detained

Yesterday a witness reported seeing two males and a female with a gun on Strongs and Driftwood. As police arrived one if the suspects threw a gun into the canals which was retrieved by LAPD.
After a search of the vehicle, three guns were found that we’re air pistols. Two looked like semi-automatic weapons and the other looked like a hand gun. They were released after getting an earful from LAPD. Because the one weapon was not used in an unlawful manner there was no crime, but they came about as close as you can to being charged. The female that was detained was visibly shaken while in handcuffs. Having simulated weapons in no joke.

Image courtesy MPNA

 

Image courtesy MPNA

 

Image courtesy MPNA

 

Water Drained From Main & Horizon - Water Main Break

LAPD was requested to move vehicles after a water main break flooded Horizon between Main and Rivera this
Morning. LADWP was out struggling with the situation starting at about 4 a.m. and at 9 a.m. had the water drained but said fixing the pipe and cleanup would still take hours.

Halloween Party Shut Down: Request To Report Illegal Activity at 811 & 815 OFW to LAPD

From LAPD Senior Lead Officers:

“The LAPD is aware of the non permitted parties, involving alcohol, and live music at 811 & 815 Ocean Front Walk. If you see any illegal activity at this location please contact the LAPD. “

With Halloween coming up, an aggressive marketing campaign has gone out about a party at this location, stating it is 21 and over, with a DJ, etc. The property has no commercial license, and according to building and safety inspectors who have tried to enter the property multiple times in the past two weeks, they have been turned away by the “occupants”. LAPD did a drive by last week, and the “occupants” told an officer after 9 p.m. that they were doing “commercial construction” ( which is not permitted on this lot ). The area has been used since Spring for various art functions, but has reportedly been occupied by a large number of transients for the past several months, with related narcotics activity. More information when it is available.

Pick-Pocketers Hit Venice

Yesterday we received a report that after going to the Bank of America on Windward, a man put his wallet in his back pocket after using the ATM. He was bumped into by a few guys, and thought nothing of it, then realized half a block later that his wallet was gone.

Tourist traffic makes Venice a lucrative target for thieves, so be aware, don’t carry a lot of cash and keep your wallet and purse safe and in a place that isn’t easy to pilfer for those looking for easy targets.

Thanks to Bill M. for the report!

Recognize These Burglars? LAPD Releases Info On Palms Area Burglaries

The LAPD is releasing information on recent burglaries that have occurred over the last few weeks in the Palms Area.

Over the Past two weeks there have been two late night/early morning burglaries in and around the Palms Area. The suspects are entering into apartment complex laundry rooms, prying open the coin operated machines and then removing the coins.

Suspect-1 is described as a male white or Hispanic, brown hair, brown eyes, 5’ 7” and weighing approximately 155 lbs. and is about 25-30 years old. Suspect-2, is described as a female Hispanic with black hair, 5’0” and weighing approximately140 Lbs. and appears to be about 20 years old.

LAPD is reminding all area residents to ensure that you lock all of your doors and windows and immediately report any suspicious activity to LAPD Pacific Division.

If you have any information regarding these burglaries please contact Det II Porche at 310-482-6363

1 Cent Hot Sake During Hama Sushi and Life Cell Charity Drive Tomorrow

Old Cellphones Get You Saké for 1¢ at the LifeCell Project’s Upcoming Art Auction and Sushi-Eating Event at Hama Sushi in Venice Beach. Artists and photographers, including Chase, Steve Lopez and Erik Voake

http://www.lifecellproject.org/

On October 25th, owners of broken or old cellphones can delight in an innovative art and sushi event with a life-saving twist – plus there’s hot sake on tap for a penny. The LifeCell Project, a Los Angeles-based 501(c)3, has partnered with one of Venice’s most famous Sushi bars to host an innovative fundraising event featuring cutting-edge art, great sushi and hot sake for anyone who brings in a cell phone to recycle.

“For the Saké of The World” will take place from 7:00 pm to 11:00 pm, Tuesday October 25, 2011, at Hama Sushi, 213 Windward Ave., 90291, on the famous traffic circle in Venice Beach, CA.

The event will include an art auction with pieces from some of LA’s most forward-thinking artists and photographers, including Chase, Steve Lopez and Erik Voake.

Hama Sushi is graciously hosting this event and donating 10% of all sales to the LifeCell Project, 501(c)3, as well as providing a small hot sake for just 1¢ to patrons who bring in their old cell phones to be recycled.

The LifeCell Project is a Los Angeles-based grassroots non-profit organization with a novel proposition to address two crises at once: Help save the Earth from rising piles of toxic e-waste while helping to change the lives of people with no access to clean water. The LifeCell Project is dedicated to turning unused and overlooked resources and materials, especially e-waste, into aid for humanitarian purposes.

For instance, when you donate old and broken cellphones or other small electronics, the LifeCell Project responsibly recycles them to keep harmful chemicals out of the environment and then uses the small funds collected from recycling in bulk to help buy LifeStraws – revolutionary personal and portable water filters – for people in under-developed nations who don’t have access to clean drinking water.

Two Crises
Nearly 8.9 million people on Earth don’t have access to clean drinking water and about 6,000 children die each day from water-related illness.
At the same time, in the United States, there are well over 100 million cell phones that are tossed in the trash or left sitting in drawers. According to the EPA, if we recycled all of those phones, it easily would save enough energy to power 194,000 US homes for an entire year. Now – with the LifeCell Project – old phones can also help provide a year’s-worth of clean water to those in need.

See you October 25th at Hama Sushi, 213 Windward Ave., Venice, CA, 90291 from 7pm to close. Don’t forget to bring your cell phone or other small electronic device to donate to receive a small hot sake for just 1¢.

Homeless Shelter & Park Cleanup

The Winter shelter pickup and drop off is in full swing. Folks start lining up for the shelter bus around 4, and the buses start showing up around 5:45. The bus doesn’t have capacity to pick everyone up at once so it has to make a few trips, but once it starts running pickup/dropoff goes fairly quickly.

When the homeless exit the vehicle at the shelter, they can keep one item with them, and check one item into storage. The item checked into storage they don’t have access to, and that is not searched. All items brought into the shelter are searched and each person goes through a metal detector to make sure there are no weapons or drugs. You can’t smoke, consume alcohol or have any illegal substances with you inside.

Once inside, everyone is given a warm meal, shower, and a cot to sleep in. Wakeup time is around 4 a.m. a bag breakfast is handed out, and coffee before boarding the bus back to the beach.

LA City Sanitation went around and tagged the giant hoards of stuff that has been compiling around the boardwalk for a scheduled sanitation sweep. Take your churros with you… or they may be confiscated.

Historical Society Fixes Abused Gondola

Members of the Venice Historical Society were out repairing the damage to the gondola in Windward Circle which has suffers abuse since the “Occupy Venice” movement moved in. The circle and that area was not designed for the way it is being treated, and unfortunately the area and its items meant for the enjoyment of everyone is paying the price.

Occupy The Post Office

Alice, shown in the photo below has had a PO Box here for more than 20 years. She wants to keep the Post Office at the current location and is out front as part of the movement.

Show your support for preserving the Venice Post Office at its historic site in the center of Venice, and saving The Story of Venice, the great mural by artist Edward Biberman.

We will “occupy” the Post Office from 4:30 - 6pm Friday. Meet at the main entrance, 1601 Main St. This is a peaceful protest - no laws will be broken - of the US Postal Service’s decision to sell this historic WPA building that has helped give Venice its identity for the past 72 years. That decision is under appeal, but we still need to show community opposition to the sale.

If possible, please bring a home-made sign about Saving the Post Office.

Get up to speed about why the Post Office is in danger at this link: http://freevenicebeachhead.wordpress.com/category/post-office. The Beachhead has been writing about this issue since we alerted the community last April. Also, see story about the rededication of the mural in 2007: http://bit.ly/r1C4PP.

Online appeals by individuals can and must be made to the Postal Cmmission by Sunday, Oct. 23. Information on how will follow.

What % of Venice’s 99% Occupied the Windward Gondola, And Broke It?

We received a report this morning that the gondola in Windward Circle, which is occupied by the “Occupy Venice” movement has been broken. Witnesses said people were sitting on it. Upon initiation of the group taking up residence in Windward Circle complaints were submitted about the trash that was left behind. At the time nobody was there in the early mornings but since then the area homeless have moved into the circle, communicating that it is “the only place they feel safe”. The initial complaints were met with the trash can being “taken” from the Post Office and put in the circle so they could clean up. Unfortunately the Post Office area desperately needs that trash can. After communicating that, other trash cans, compost bins, etc.

Despite needing a permit for any kind of assembly, LAPD Pacific Division has reflected the department-wide stance of letting the protestors continue without being cited for lack of permits as long as they do not break other laws. Since the initial rocky weekend of strewn trash, there has been someone in the circle nearly around the clock.

When the report was received this morning about the damaged gondola, there were less than five people in the circle while Rec & Parks was trying to mow the grass. When asked if they knew how the gondola was damaged the reply was, “what is a gondola?”, and then “not me, not my problem”.

Hopefully some % of the 99% of the circle residents will fix it back to 100%. It belongs to the neighborhood.