Streetsblog

Thanks to everyone who took the time to donate to L.A. Streetsblog this last month during our spring fundraising drive.  We didn't get close to our goal, but we did raise enough funds to cover our bills for the rest of the summer.  That may not seem like a lot, but while taking part in the training that's part of my Annenberg Fellowship, I'm surrounded by talented online journalists who aren't drawing a check at all for their work and enterprises, so your support means a lot to me.

I'm pleased to announce that Streetsblog is adding a new service: the Streetsblog jobs board. If you have a job opening in the fields of urban planning, transportation engineering, or livable streets advocacy, you'll reach a talented pool of people by placing the position on Streetsblog.

Why give to Los Angeles Streetsblog? Exactly for the reason that LA Streetsblog has become a game changer in transportation in Los Angeles, even more so than the other cities it's appeared in. Before Streetsblog hit the scene, in order to hold carcentric agencies accountable and know what developments were happening, you either had to be a total nerd or a government planner/engineer. I was the former, and Streetsblog gave me an informal and crucial crash course education during my years at UCLA in transportation politics.

Last Friday, Los Angeles Streetsblog and the Flying Pigeon Bike Shop rocked North Figueroa and NELA with our second annual bike ride/after party.  There were a lot of people who helped make the event happen, but we have to start with a huge thanks to Josef Bray-Ali, proprietor of Flying Pigeon, for everything they've done for us both Friday and beyond.  There's a reason we announced on Friday that Flying Pigeon L.A. is now the Official Bike Shop of L.A. Streetsblog.

Tomorrow night, L.A. Streetsblog rolls back in to Northeast L.A. for its 2nd Annual Fundraiser with the Flying Pigeon Bike Shop on 3714 N. Figueroa Street. The event will be in two parts, with a bike ride beginning at 6:30 P.M. and an after party beginning at 8:00. We're asking for $10 to joins us on the ride, $10 for the after party or $15 for both. Of course, everything is on a sliding scale and nobody will be turned away.  And if the Facebook page is any indication, we're going to have a pretty large crowd.

In LA, when you are walking on a sidewalk that abruptly terminates in a "No Ped Crossing", or are sitting at a bus stop with only a bent and faded sign to its name, or riding a bike while insane "commuters" driving well over the speed limit past you, the school you just dropped your kid off at, and the local park - what are you supposed to do?

About a year ago I wrote all of you announcing that L.A. Streetsblog needed help from our community to keep our shop open. The response from all of you was overwhelming, and inspired us to push forward. Today L.A. Streetsblog is thriving, thanks to well over one hundred individual donors, the David Bohnett Foundation, and our friends at Flying Pigeon, GEK-Law, CicLAvia and Consensus Inc.

On Friday, June 17, L.A. Streetsblog rolls back in to Northeast L.A. for its 2nd Annual Fundraiser with the Flying Pigeon Bike Shop on 3714 N. Figueroa Street.  The event will be in two parts, with a bike ride beginning at 6:30 P.M. and an after party beginning at 8:00.  We're asking for $10 to joins us on the ride, $10 for the after party or $15 for both.  Of course, everything is on a sliding scale and nobody will be turned away.