Save the date! Open to the public, the SoRo Festival features live local musical entertainment and dancing, "Camp SoRo" offering attractions and a rock-climbing wall and free arts & crafts for children, 60 vendor booths featuring neighborhood businesses and community information, and a variety of culinary delights from some of L.A.'s hottest gourmet food trucks. The theme for this year's Festival is "SoRo Sails for 15 Years." For more information, click here.

In 2011, SORO NC dedicated over 25% of its annual budget towards the purchase of new trees for Robertson Blvd. between Cadillac and Cattaraugus. This month, with the support of Council Districts 5 and 10 and Million Trees LA, we tackle Phase 1 with a one-day blitz. But we need your help.

• Volunteers can be of all ages and ability levels—there will be less-physical jobs, too.
• Each tree will require a crew of 7 volunteers to be planted, so consider organizing a small team of friends!
• Kids are welcome, as are families and groups of friends/neighbors who would like to work together.
• Council President Wesson and Council Member Koretz will be there planting along side us.

Volunteers should register in advance with Paula Waxman at greenteamchair@soronc.org or 310-559-2552. More information can be found on our volunteer flyer.

We're planting Chinese Elms—carefully selected in collaboration with Million Trees LA—hardy, good for public spaces, and designed to grow tall with a large lacy canopy. They'll provide greenery, shade, noise reduction and make Robertson businesses more attractive.

We'll fill in all the empty tree wells with new trees and cut new tree wells into the sidewalk where none exist. In addition, we've funded a two-year watering and maintenance program, to ensure that the trees are properly cared for and can grow strong, healthy roots. We hope they'll survive beyond all of our lifetimes.

This is just the beginning of a larger cooperative effort to revitalize Robertson. We hope you can join us.

Starting in March, the main SORO NC General Board meetings will permanently move to the Simon Wiesenthal Center at the northwest corner of Pico and Roxbury. Parking is available in the underground garage on Roxbury. (Note that Google Maps incorrectly shows the address as the Museum of Tolerance).

It's been over four years since the last time we moved our meeting location. We're grateful to the administration and staff of Hamilton High for their hospitality (and flexibility) over the years, and we thank the Wiesenthal Center for their kind offer to host our meetings.

Only the General Board meetings will move; all other committees will continue to meet at their usual locations, listed at right.

UPDATE: The deadline for taking the survey has been extended to noon on Monday, Feb. 27.

One of the most important functions of the NC system is to provide the Mayor with suggestions and feedback on the City's budget. So let the Mayor know what YOUR priorities are by taking our short online Budget Survey today.

Last year, NC input did make a difference. This year's survey results will be presented to the Mayor on Saturday, March 10 at 8:30am in City Hall. If you'd like to attend, RSVP with Joe Hari at joseph.hari@lacity.org or call 310-479-3823. More info on Budget Day can be found here.

Update: the Festival has found a new director.

This year will mark the 15th anniversary for the SoRo Festival and SoRo, Inc. (our partner and lead organizer) is looking for someone new to take charge.

It's is well organized, funded, and has an established set of people ready to help. We need YOU to oversee the process and manage all the details. Preparations have already begun, so we need someone that can jump in.

You will meet neighborhood leaders, open dialog with business owners, and work with some exceptional volunteers in the community. It’s a great way to get yourself some exposure, build your management skills, add to your resume and do something that is really important for the community. No prior Festival experience is necessary.

You can find more detail about the position here.

Our bylaws establish four-year, staggered terms for our Board members, which means half of the Board seats would normally be up for election in May 2012. However, some years ago the City Council passed an ordinance giving the City Clerk sole authority to conduct NC elections--and then this year failed to fund those elections for 2012. 

At the City Council's request, the City Attorney has prepared a draft ordinance that would cancel the 2012 NC elections outright and automatically extend Board member terms to 2014. Many feel that this action would undermine the credibility of the NC system and subvert the rights of voters.

The Neighborhood Councils have one other option available: a selection process. It differs from an election in that it is not anonymous. For example, signed ballots or a town hall where people vote by show of hands would both qualify. At our October meeting, SORO NC voted to amend our bylaws to allow (but not mandate) a selection process if an election cannot be held. You can see that language here (scroll to the end of the PDF).

At this point, we do not know if we'll be having a City Clerk-conducted election in 2012, but we'll keep you up to date as events unfold. If you have an opinion on the proposed ordinance pro or con, we urge you to contact your City Council member immediately.

The Robertson Recreation Center has been a fixture of the community for years, but the building itself is decaying. Fortunately, Proposition K created substantial funding for park projects. Councilmember Koretz and his staff are working to use some of those funds to revamp our Rec Center. It's still very early in the process.

Since the project affects so many in our community, SORO NC will hold a Town Hall so that you can hear directly from City planners and engineers, ask questions, raise concerns, and voice support.


The event will be the first chance to the community to learn about the proposed scope of the project and see early concept sketches (SORO NC will continue to hold smaller public meetings throughout the process to keep everyone in the loop).

You can read more about it at our Town Hall page. Hope to see you there!

Update: we'll continue to have public meetings about the Rec Center, so be sure to sign up to be notified via email, Facebook, or Twitter. And if you have thoughts about what you'd like to see in a new Rec Center, email us at parkideas@soronc.org.

District 5 Councilmember Paul Koretz will be holding a public meeting to discuss the proposed expansion of the Pressman Academy. 


This is a great opportunity to discuss your views, concerns, and thoughts on the project. If you can't make it to the meeting, the Councilmember invites you to call, write, or email his office. More information in his meeting announcement.

More information about the project can be found here and here.

Beginning next month on October 13th, environmental experts from Sustainable Works will begin the first of three six-workshop series conducted at three different venues convenient to SORO residents: Westside Pavilion (Oct 2011), Fairfax High School (Oct 2011), and Temple Isaiah (April 2012).

These classes are being offered for FREE via a $45,000 grant secured by Council District 5 through LADWP and the US Department of Energy.

The six-week workshops meet once a week for 90 minutes. Over the course of the six evenings, you will learn how to reduce your impact on the earth by living more sustainable lives, as well as practical information for how to reduce your energy and water bills, reduce your waste and make better consumer choices regarding transportation and food. Each attendee will get lots of free goodies such as aerators, low-flow showerheads, CFL's, and tire pressure gauges. In addition, each evening, Sustainable Works will conduct a free raffle of compost bins, worm bins, rain barrels and many more items. Download the workshop flyer for more information.

For dates, times, and addresses and to pre-register for any series visit:

Council Member Paul Koretz of Council District 5 said:
"Every day, we make decisions that can have a positive or negative impact on the earth, with every one of us playing a vital role. I hope these programs can show all of us—our neighbors, friends and relatives, that we no longer need to feel overwhelmed by ballooning water and energy bills. Although we face diminishing resources, our communities must be empowered by the knowledge that our simple day-to-day choices can have a direct impact on our present and future lives."

Don’t pass up this wonderful opportunity to learn how you can reduce your impact on mother earth. Sign up for a class and share this information with your neighbors and community. We'll all be better off for it.