Events: 2 Hit and Run Court Appearances, Finish the Ride, #Fig4All #LA2050 Visioning Workshop

Just as the week before Easter/Passover is usually a light one, the week after is usually a heavy one. And this one is heavy. Court appearances, committee hearings, educational events, a Streetsblog L.A. event with the Bike Oven, two amazing sounding events on Sunday. It’s a packed house.

Tuesday – Wendy Villegas, the woman who struck and killed Andy Garcia will formally turn herself into authorities after accepting a deal that will put her in jail for at least a year and a half. Despite hitting a human being with her car and killing him and cowardly leaving the scene in the murder weapon, Villegas was given the lightest possible sentence and was allowed to leave the courtroom at sentencing before turning herself in. Family and friend’s of Garcia are planning a community ride to the courthoue to see the legal portion of Andy’s story come to an end. Get the details, here.
Tuesday – Jose Gonzales is being charged with vehicular manslaughter for hitting Philip O’Neil from behind with his car, killing him. . So far, there have been two pre-trial hearings and a third one has been scheduled for Tuesday, April 22, 8:30 am, at the Pasadena Courthouse, 300 East Walnut Street. Family and friends of Phillip as well as concerned individuals and LACBC staff have attended both pre-trial hearings, which are open to the public. Get the rest of the details for this week’s hearing, here.
Wednesday – Learn, network, and be inspired at the Urban Land Institutes’s 14th Annual Urban Marketplace – a conference and expo designed to promote real estate investment opportunities and development strategies for LA’s lower income and higher poverty neighborhoods. In a half-day, you will hear from an exclusive keynote panel, then participate in 20+ interactive roundtable discussions led by industry leaders who have made meaningful and innovative contributions to the urban environment. And hey, Streetsblog is a media partner! Go, us! Get the details, here.
Wednesday – The City Council Transportation Committee meets at 2 p.m. in City Hall to discuss what’s going to happen to all of the good bicycle and pedestrian projects that were abandoned when the state dissolved the Community Redevelopment Agencies last year. I have a surprise for you. They have a plan to complete them! Really! Read the full agenda, here.
Wednesday – Come and join Las Ovarian Psyco-Cycles for a space fundraiser and watch the film “Wadjda”. Wadjda is a 10-year-old girl living in a suburb of Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia. Although she lives in a conservative world, Wadjda is fun-loving, entrepreneurial and always pushing the boundaries of what she can get away with. After a fight with her friend Abdullah, a neighborhood boy she shouldn’t be playing with, Wadjda sees a beautiful green bicycle for sale. She wants the bicycle desperately so that she can beat Abdullah in a race. Movie starts at 7 p.m. Get the details, here.
Thursday – It’s your monthly dose of political rancor and public policy known as the Metro Board of Directors Meeting. The highlight of this month’s agenda is a proposal by Gloria Molina to add a $1 account fee on all Metro transponder accounts regardless of use. Read the agenda, here.
Friday – Our friends Aurisha and Somerset are opening Los Angeles’ first worker-owned electrical and solar co-op. The opening party is this Friday at Eco-Village. Get more details, here.
Friday – Come & join Las Ovarian Psycos & Yerberia Mayahuel and have a good time! Since January 2014, OPC & YM inherited the space Centro de Comunicación Comunitaria located in Boyle Heights. Since then, both collectives have been utilizing the space to do movie nights, Qi Gong classes, worm composting workshops, health and wellness circles, reading circles etc. Get the details, here.
Saturday – First we announced that The Bike Oven, Streetsblog and Place It! would be holding a community visioning workshop for North Figueroa Street in 2050 as part of the #la2050 event. Then, the Mayor announced it would be a “Great Street” in his state of the city. Coincidence? Let’s assume not. Come participate in one of James Rojas’ workshops, enjoy some local cuisine, meet Josef Bray-Ali…all in one day and place. 4 p.m. this Saturday in front of the Oven on North Figueroa Street. Read more about it, here.
Sunday – It’s finally here. Damian Kevitt and Friends’ Finish the Ride, the fundraising ride that will literally start where Kevitt was hit by a hit and run driver in 2013, is this Sunday. There are rides for people of all ages and skill levels. Get the details at Finish the Ride.com
Sunday – On April 27^th railLA’s Expo Explorers presents a full day tour exploring the historic Metro Expo Line. The interactive event will teach new riders how to ride Metro Rail and take them to discover amazing places along the Expo Line. As event guests explore each destination, they’ll complete an activity in their Event Passport and learn about the past and future of Los Angeles. We’re told that the Mayor of Santa Monica and a host of local Livable Streets Advocates will be on hand. Get all the details, here.