Hump Day Happening This Week?

VALLEYBRINK ROAD is a tow-away zone 6:00am to 6:00pm, Thursday and Friday. Signs on every pole. Does this mean the arrival of those long-heralded speed humps?

Beneath the LA River's Sunnynook Bridge

Beneath the Sunnynook Bridge - LA River, originally uploaded by . Jory.

Weekend Beheaded Goat Report from LA River

THIS MIGHT be a good time to ask kids (pun intended) to step away from the screen. From a reader: "Yesterday, Sunday morning, while walking my dog at the river near the corner of Dover and Legion, I discovered a headless white goat near the walking path. "I initially thought it was a dog ... and reported it as such to the police. They told me they'd investigate. "This morning it was gone, and another neighbor who'd also seen it told me it was a goat. I'm for freedom of religion and all, but jeez, it's 2009, people."

Amelia Fitzwater Closes, Final Clearance Starts July 7

SAD NEWS from Amelia Fitzwater (3129 1/2 Glendale Blvd.), our favorite gift shop along Atwater Village's central drag, closing its doors 2 years after moving here from Santa Monica. The owner's email: "After four amazing years of running Amelia Fiztwater, it is with a heavy heart that I announce the closing of the store. "The decision was not an easy one to make, however, with the slow economy, loss of a partnership, low sales and now with the much anticipated arrival of my first child, it seems like the time for a change is now!" Final storewide sale of merchandise, fixtures, tables, shelves, 25% to 50% off, starts July 7. The store will be missed!

Saturday Garage Sale Benefits Glenfeliz Elementary

FRIENDS OF Glenfeliz Elementary hosts its second annual garage sale tomorrow, June 27, 8:00am to noon, 3717 Valleybrink Road in Atwater Village. Proceeds help launch an enrichment program this fall.

Palooka Pipes Didn't Get the Memo

IT PROBABLY seemed like a good idea at the time. But now that LA City Council has initiated the closure of 5 medical marijuana facilities here in Atwater Village, North Hollywood's Palooka Pipes may soon regret opening its second location at 3409 Glendale Blvd. A reader reports: "Down in 'dispensary row' on Glendale across from the Post Office someone just opened a pot accessories store called Palooka Pipes. In the store's sign the 'i' is the outline of a bong." Better late than clever?

Newspaper Sales Scam Returns, This Time with Kids

HERE'S A VARIATION on the door-to-door newspaper sales scam mentioned here in March, reported by a neighbor who just moved from Silver Lake to Atwater Village:

"...The last two nights I've had young kids coming to the door trying to sell newspaper subscriptions to the LA Times ...

"The first night a tweakish girl who said it was through some afterschool program and - well I don't even know what she was saying the money was going towards.

"Tonight two young boys came saying they were from some school in Long Beach and the subscriptions were to help them get into USC.

"It obviously smelled like a scam and a quick Internet search revealed a similar one (if not the same one) in Rancho Cucamonga.

"Not sure if anybody else has come across this..."

If anybody else has met these kids, I recommend phoning it in. Your joint could be being cased. Call LAPD Northeast Division at (213) 485-2563, with a good description. They've been known to send officers for this very thing.

Tomorrow: Neighborhood Watch Meeting

THE NEXT Atwater Village Neighborhood Watch meeting is Thursday, June 25, 7:00pm, Church of Christ, 3852 Edenhurst Ave.

Honey, You Had Me at Maker's Mark Reduction

NEXT TUESDAY, June 30, neighborhood bistro Canele, 3219 Glendale Blvd., will be buzzing with a 3-course prix fixe "Friends Cook in LA" dinner featuring Amy Seidenwurm of the Backwards Beekeepers. It's a honey of a $30 menu: Mixed green salad with roasted beets, gorgonzola, honey-roasted walnuts with a honey-champagne vinaigrette. Honey-glazed pork tenderloin with Maker's Mark reduction, corn cakes, buttered carrots Goat cheese and nectarine tart with raw honey drizzle, honey ice cream Don't get stung! Canele doesn't take reservations; so bee early.

What Members of Castledoor Ordered at Viet Noodle Bar

MEMBERS OF ONE of my favorite Los Angeles rock bands, Castledoor, stopped by Viet Noodle Bar (3133 Glendale Blvd.) in Atwater Village recently. Here's what they had: Nate - lead vocals: Fish noodles, Vietnamese iced coffee Gabe - guitars, keys: Soup, Vietnamese iced coffee Joel - drums: Soup, Vietnamese iced coffee Brando - bass: No idea Liska- keys, vocals: Tofu sandwich, side of yellow rice, Vietnamese iced coffee Coury - vocals, synth: Fish noodles, Vietnamese iced coffee Turns out Gabe and Joel were hungry later, but as Coury so diplomatically points out, "Well, all you ate for dinner was broth! I told you to get more!"

Dear LAPD: Sunnynook Footbridge is Not in Glendale

THIS EVENING for a good 30 minutes a young man in a gray hoodie has stood restlessly at one end of the Sunnynook Footbridge. His hands deep in pockets, he seems to be nervously hovering on the west bank of the Los Angeles River. What's he waiting for? Why loiter on a bicycle path? So I call Northeast station, Los Angeles Police Department, to report possible drug-dealing. I hate to be uptight, but there are plenty of legal opportunities to get high in this town, and this guy's sending bad signals. Maybe they could get him for bike menacing or something. Me, describing the location: "Along the LA River between Los Feliz Blvd. and Glendale Blvd." LAPD Dispatch: "OK, I'll connect you to the Glendale Police Department and they'll be able to help you." Me, incredulous: "I swear to God Sunnynook Footbridge is not in Glendale. They won't help. They'll send me back to you." After a bit more clicking and checking, and a new location description (Riverside Drive and Los Feliz Blvd.), suddenly the LA River is back in LAPD jurisdiction. But why did I not hang up confident that anything would be done about that hoodied dude at the end of the bridge?

LAPD: Ass-Kicking in Atwater Village

CRIME UPDATE for Atwater Village today from LAPD Northeast Captain Bill Murphy: "Very clear -- our gang enforcement efforts have reduced violent crime in this area." Also interesting, because it concerns a troubled sliver of Northeast LA across San Fernando Road from Atwater Village, is the Drew Street Block Party, Saturday June 27, 2009, 10:00am, marking the anniversary of LAPD's "multi-agency coordinated effort to change Drew Street forever." Now, can we get Home Depot over there in Fletcher Square? (Kidding. Dead horse.)

Lakers Riot Suspect Arrested in Atwater Village

THE LOS ANGELES County Sheriffs Department's Transit Bureau arrested Edward Aleman, 19, on suspicion of vandalizing the Metro Blue Line during Sunday's riot for the LA Lakers championship. Aleman is accused of placing a dumpster on the Blue Line track, tagging a light-rail train with his nom de plume, "Reaps," and violating probation on a prior conviction. He might also face rioting charges. From wire service reports: "Deputies searched his home in the 3000 block of Tyburn Street [Google Map] in Atwater Village and found evidence of his involvement, said Lt. Erik Ruble." Aleman was arrested just before midnight Tuesday night. More from the LA Times.

Fixer-Upper, Not Pooper-Scooper, on Glenfeliz Blvd.

Clear Instructions, originally uploaded by Atwater Village Newbie.

SiLa Bistro: Free Corkage on 55 Degree Wine Bottles

TUESDAY THROUGH THURSDAY, SiLa Bistro (2630 Hyperion Ave.) in Silver Lake waives its corkage fee for any bottle from 55 Degree Wine (3111 Glendale Blvd.) in Atwater Village. See, our neighborhoods can get along.

Help Find Space for L'Ami Restaurant in Atwater Village

CHEF KAREN YOO, formerly of Campanile and Sona, and soon to be of L'Ami Restaurant, emails a pickle. "My husband and I have been on the hunt for a restaurant space in these areas for the last 6 months, we moved to this side of town recently and we really love it. Since you seem so connected to the area, I figured I would email and see if you might have any inside scoops on available restaurant spaces that we haven't heard of. If you know of anything and feel like sharing please email me, any information would be appreciated." First thought: There may be at least 5 retail spaces suddenly opening up along Glendale Blvd., now that LA City Council has denied applications for our neighborhood marijuana dispensaries. Would growlights be at all helpful with your Market Vegetable Salad? Other suggestions, dear readers? Comment, email, I'll pass them along.

LA Times: Atwater Village Farmers Market Saved!

FROM TODAY'S Los Angeles Times: "The 4-year-old Atwater Village farmers market, which runs on Sunday mornings in a bank parking lot, has escaped a threat of eviction, a [Wells Fargo] bank spokeswoman says ... The bank had some complaints about homeless people who were drawn to the Glendale Boulevard site and about its upkeep. Bank and market representatives, along with someone from LA City Councilman Eric Garcetti's office, have a meeting scheduled next week to try to negotiate a solution."

New Show, New Stuff at Black Maria Gallery

ALWAYS A STOP on our regular crawl of Glendale Blvd., Black Maria Gallery has a new show this weekend and new goods in its next-door  sister store, Under the Table. "Knights and Hunters," a new group exhibition, opens at Black Maria Gallery, 3137 Glendale Blvd., tomorrow, June 13, 7:00pm. The show features new drawings and paintings by LA artists Ken Garduno, Jason Hernandez, Michael C. Hsiung and Sam Saghatelian. And the Newbie friend behind the burgeoning Lolligag empire has secured its first LA retailer, Under the Table, 3139 Glendale Blvd., to hawk new t-shirt designs. Go check 'em.

Help Save Atwater Village's Farmers Market

USE THIS strongly-worded letter to Wells Fargo Bank provided by Painkiller.org. Word is the bank has evicted the Atwater Village Farmers Market from its (the bank's) Sunday parking lot effective June 30. UPDATE: FM saved!

LAPD: Atwater Village Shootings on Decline

LATEST NEWS from LAPD Northeast Division Captain Bill Murphy: Atwater Village: "We had several shootings between the Toonerville gang and the Rascals gang over the past couple of months. We have increased gang deployment in the area and have seen the number of shooting incidents decline (none in last couple of weeks). We are serving Toonerville gang members with permanent gang injunctions. "Only other issue is with Medical Marijuana Dispensaries (MMD) in the area. We have received some complaints regarding how they operate. We have been involved in several meetings with council district staff from CD 13 and CD 14 and they are aware of the problems associated with these MMD locations." And LA City Council is taking its own steps to change how MMDs operate.

Garcetti: Atwater Village Dispensaries 'Unacceptable'

DURING TODAY'S Los Angeles City Council vote to deny "hardship" applications for 14 medical marijuana dispensaries, NBC reports, "Council President Eric Garcetti said it was unacceptable that a certain half-mile stretch of Atwater Village has no less than 5 dispensaries." Garcetti: "People feel under siege. I think there are a lot of people who supported medical marijuana and want access for patients but do not want their neighborhoods taken over - to the point where there are more dispensaries than Starbucks." More: LA Closes Loophole for Medical Marijuana Dispensaries More: 3 Dispensaries Denied, 2 Withdrawn

Is Atwater Village's Farmers Market in Danger?

ACCORDING TO a loyal Newbie reader, Wells Fargo Bank may try to put an end to the Atwater Village Farmers Market. Posted on the AVNC forum: "The general manager of Wells Fargo, who to date has been incredibly generous in letting the Farmers' Market open in their parking lot on Sundays, and who was a major sponsor of the incredible Tree Lighting this year, is threatening to terminate the FM's licensing agreement." The Wells Fargo bank location at 3250 Glendale Blvd. may want to open for Sunday hours, we're told, precluding the 4-year-old Farmers Market from operating in its parking lot on Sundays, 10:00am to 2:00pm. And even though it seems unusual in this ATM/Internet age that anyone really needs access to bank tellers on Sundays, this move by Wells Fargo may call for a letter or two. Address them to: Judy Fishman Vice President Wells Fargo Corporate Properties Group 333 South Grand Ave., Ste. 700 Los Angeles, CA 90071 Ricardo Villarreal MAC E2063-011 3250 Glendale Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90039 See an effective sample letter from Painkiller.org. Let's do what we can to keep the Farmers Market an integral ingredient in our Atwater Village kitchens.

Speed Humps Coming to Valleybrink Road

ONE OF THE longest stretches of unregulated residential asphalt in Atwater Village, with some 1,600 feet of acceleration space, is getting speed humps. After 2 years of traffic studies and petitions, 4 speed humps will be installed on Valleybrink Road between Sunnynook Drive and the 5-way intersection at Dover Street. Signs went up a few days ago. The humps (not the shorter bumps found in parking lots) could be installed any day. The speed limit on this stretch has always been 25 m.p.h. But the gentle, long curve of Valleybrink seems to encourage speeds of 40 to 50 m.p.h., especially on sweeping days when half the curbs are empty. So speed while you still can, child-hating scofflaws, before we start tearing your mufflers out from under you.

City Council Mulls Fate of Marijuana Dispensaries

NEXT TUESDAY Los Angeles City Council is scheduled to consider the fate of 14 medical marijuana dispensaries, including 5 in Atwater Village. The City Council may start enforcing a 21-month-old ban on new dispensaries, informing these that their "hardship exemptions" may not be granted. Atwater Alternative Care Collective: 3106 Glendale Blvd. LA Collective: 3401 Glendale Blvd. Friendly Collective: 3405 Glendale Blvd. Global Meds Collective: 3425 Glendale Blvd. Accurate Services Medical Dispensary: 3429 Glendale Blvd. More about City Council's move in today's LA Times. Thanks to 2 alert readers for emailing me the article.

Old Fabrics Store: Another 'Herbal' Business?

NEIGHBORS HAVE been investigating the old Thousand Fabrics location at 3229 Glendale Blvd., and report on the AVNC forum: "I talked to one of the day labor working at the building a few days ago and asked what is going on. He told me that the building is being divided into two retail/commercial spaces. In broken English he also said that he believed one side has already been leased to some type of apothecary/herbal medicine business." For those of you counting at home, this could turn out to be the sixth medical marijuana dispensary along this 3-block stretch of Atwater Village. Here are photos, addresses and names of the other 5.

'Majority' of LAPD Northeast Gang Units in Atwater Village

LATEST NEWS from LAPD Northeast Division Captain Bill Murphy: "Atwater Village -- We had two gang-related shootings over the past week. This has been an on-going problem for the past couple of months and we continue to have the majority of our gang units work in this area. They are enforcing the gang injunction and have made numerous arrests in the area." Apologies to our fellow Northeast LA neighborhoods. Hopefully we can get the gang units back to you soon.