This week, the community was called together by POLA to review a set of proposed plans for this hill, and to eat some baloney sandwiches (see p. 9, “Eastview Fights Back, Tensions Flare”). I’m sure the consideration for the food was generated by some perception of greater budgetary concerns, though many in attendance thought it was meant to complement baloney from the podium served by the State Lands Commission. But more than baloney was being offered, if you listened carefully.  The discussion of “sovereign lands” versus acquired lands that fall under tidelands jurisdiction should not go unnoticed by both those youth sports advocates and open space activists. Knoll Hill could be returned to the City of Los Angeles and thusly to community control by sale or exchange, but this would be far too simple a solution and avoids the key element of the underlying dispute–ballparks or open space.

I was actually very impressed with the turnout of community groups attending this meeting as I thought that they essentially reflected the web of interconnected relations of families, friends, and neighbors with business and political networks.  That this once forgotten piece of land can bring all these people together even to agree to disagree is a powerful thing, yet the solution to this still remains elusive and dependent upon other things.

Sitting observantly at one table was the representative from Ponte Vista, another piece of turf that has spawn its own conflicts recently. That development and Knoll Hill are joined at the hip in as much as land has been offered to the ballpark advocates if the development gets approved. Stalling the Western Avenue project only delays the final location of Eastview Little League’s resettlement.  That is, unless there is direct Council office intervention. The problem here is that Councilwoman Hahn has been slow to wade into the waters of land disputes and even slower to lead when the community is divided. This, in the end, will take strong leadership and some compromise on the parts of the community players.  But in an election year this would be a very bold move.

What this community can’t afford is to wage another intra-mural land battle over community property that it essentially can’t control because of the Tidelands Trust. What we do need is a new deal on both Ponte Vista and Knoll Hill so that the entire community can come together on the overarching issue of POLA waterfront plan. A strategic master plan that actually gets implemented wouldn’t be too much to ask for would it?

Has the Ground Hog Seen His Shadow?
February Second has been Groundhogs Day since, well for a long time, and it has come to symbolize the beginning of the end of winter –– that is if you believe the old farmers story about whether the groundhog pops up and sees his own shadow. But what does it mean when the ground hog comes out and bites the Mayor of New York on the finger and draws blood after being teased?  Some days, I think you can’t even make this stuff up!

If you are one drawn to believe in omens, than this certainly doesn’t bode well for either New York or Mayor Bloomberg, who now seems to be recuperating with a bandage -- on which finger was that? It’s a bit like throwing shoes at Bush. At least the groundhog had the gumption to defend himself. Some times reality is slightly more bizarre than fiction. What only could have trumped this piece of humor is if Bloomberg had bitten the little beast back, which he is perfectly capable of doing.

Perhaps we could offer to take the furry creature off of New York’s hands, literally, and find him a home on Knoll Hill where he could see his shadow all year long.