You can take the boy out of Reseda...

Ex-RESEDA: New blogger from the UK, K420 in his By The Left blog, introduces himself with a tale of family drama and a Reseda link:

Lived in Reseda, LA till I was 5 when we moved to England cos my mom (never can write mum even though I now have an English accent) was homesick. Lived in Preston till I was 10 when my mom and dad did the whole split up thing with a twist.

Story continues with kidnapping and ends with waffles but hits on watching football, which when he says "football" he probably means "soccer" to you and me -- and his story continues the theme that if you're breaking the law and don't want to get caught... be careful:

... until my dad got caught speeding which meant the police found us.

Brick

OOPS: The Daily News' Tom Hoffarth, funny guy and great writer, dribbled out of bounds on this about the soon-to-be-renamed Reseda Post Office:

Have you heard about this well-intentioned UCLA alum who supposedly has so much free time working in the budget-strapped state legislature that he's able to push a bill through that'll eventually rename the post office in Reseda after the Bruins' legendary basketball coach John Wooden?

That alum is U.S. Congressman Brad Sherman, serving in federal government not the state... the federal government having jurisdiction over the U.S. Post Office.

Previously: Coverage, announcement,

WEBFIND: A bunch of Wooden links via UCLA Hoop Scoop.

G'day Reseeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeda

WEBFIND: Yahoo Australia has an annotated list of links to about a brazillion California media sites. This one too. Search ResedaWeb, under R.

New Year with a bang

OOPS: Firefighters were responding to a West Hills address for a medical emergency Thursday. Sirens have a way of startling people who are breaking the law, in this case a Resedan. Via the LAFD News & Information blog:

According to the man's later statements, he had been handling a variety of fireworks, including some possibly modified devices, when they inadvertently discharged. He stated this happened when he was startled by the ambulance siren, which he believed may have been police officers coming for him.
Firefighters offered emotional support to the man while cleaning and dressing his wounds, which included an avulsion of the left thumb and small finger as well as significant tissue damage to that hand.

What's an avulsion? ::: Ed. note--- Ow! :::

Xcise that Xmas Tree, People

RECYCLING: A roundup of how to get rid of that highly flammable dead shrub is courtesy of LAist, where he notes of these entreprenuers. For the rest of us, the LA Bureau of Sanitation reminds: "Remove all decorations, tinsel and stand. Trees must be cut in half and placed in the green yard trimmings container at curb. Flocked trees can not be recycled. Cut flocked tree and place in black container."

As per this city site, Reseda apartment dwellers or homeowners without loppers can go to Chatsworth Park South, at 22360 Devonshire St., or Encino's Balboa Sports Center, 17015 Burbank Bl. The maps there aren't too specific about where in those sprawling parks the drop-off location will be. ::: Ed. note--- Look for signs.::: Call 800 587-3356 for info or the city services line, 311. Sites are open weekends only between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m., Jan. 7 and 8, and Jan. 14 and 15. :::Ed. note-- People with flocked trees and no loppers are reminded not to buy flocked trees.:::

I could have meant 'residua'

NO WEB FIND:ShutterStock stock photography has nothing in stock for "Reseda."

Did you mean reseed, reused, residua, reset, reside, recede, reseeds, resider, reeds, resend, rested, reseal, Reed, raised, reed, rester, roused, reread, resets, resews, rest?

They don't have anything on "residua" either.

Dog gone

MISSING: Brody, a male Maltese is missing for 11 days,

The FidoFinder.com site is meant to reunite lost dogs with the lost dog's owner via the finder or loser who posts at FidoFinder. In this case, someone in Reseda found a dog from Houston, Texas. Awaiting update.

Slamming dunks

LA TIMES: ResedaWeb.blog beat the Morning Briefing to the ball on the John Wooden Post Office story, they highlighting the Brad Sherman connection

Stamp of approval: During the time John Wooden was winning NCAA championships by the, yes, OK, bucketful at UCLA, Brad Sherman was a student on the Westwood campus.

Now, Sherman (D-Sherman Oaks) is in Congress, and he has introduced a bill to name the Reseda post office in Wooden's honor. "Should be a slam dunk," Sherman predicted.

::::Ed. note-- The last time a politician made news with the phrase "slam dunk" it was ex-CIA head George Tennant saying how assured they could be of evidence of weapoms of mass destruction. I can guess Sherman's assuredness is reflective of a greater certainty of result. ::::

Where in Reseda?

NEIGHBORS: Someone reading Here in Van Nuys thinks this pic is in Reseda, but it seems to me it's not. For the SavOn in the background to be what's now the site of the Country Club, this pic would have to be at Etiwanda Ave, looking west. From the corner now, on the right side of the street in the photo, is a 2 story office building, a huge catholic church, then the Jons (nee Vons) Market/multi-store shopping center set back from the street with parking in front.

Anyone have a better guess?

"The Holidays are Here...

NEIGHBORHOOD: ... and We're Still at War." Brett Dennen offers this Christmas song on a free download at his site. NPR did a report on him. He plays Wednesday in Laguna and Saturday, Jan. 7 at 8pm (info) at the Pickin Parlor, 17828 Chatsworth St., Granada Hills as part of the The Blue Ridge Pickin' Parlor - Acoustic Series. Tickets are $15, $10 in advance. For info, (818) 282-9001.

:::: Ed. note -- Song is as good a seasonal tune as any new song since "Do They Know it's Christmas," evoking the slice of life/capture the moment quality of the masterpiece pop tune "Boy in the Bubble" by Paul Simon. :::

Song ends with these poignant thoughts:

Say a prayer for the less fortunate;
Prisoners, soldiers you never have met
Understand what it is they are fighting for;
Say a prayer for your enemies,
A prayer for their victims and their families;
The holidays are here and we’re still at war.

::: Ed. note --- Best wishes :::

COHASSET St.: Lighting up Reseda, one Santa head at a time.

Newly Californicated

NEIGHBORS: Some people can live a lifetime in L.A. and miss the details of community that newbies see. Documenting the arrival of Gareth and Danya fresh from Winnipeg, Manitoba (that's in Canada, link is of a summer view), is the We's in California blog:

When we came we were expecting nothing but big box stores and fast food chains with little or no sense of community. It turns out that on every corner is at lesat 3 or 4 family owned businesses. Whenever we drive somewhere we notice an old breakfast joint or an independant donut shop that we simply must try out. It's actually quite encouraging. I think this is because a large part of the population here is second or even first generation immigrants and they are more imaginative and willing to take risks. I love it.

But they've already found the key to making L.A. workable-- Lessen your commute:

The company is growing like crazy and they're actually moving closer to where we live so it will only be about 20 minutes to work! That's unheard of by LA standards. Which are pretty low standards. For commuting.

Begun in November, it has the promise of acuity, found via Here in Van Nuys blog.

Nice Wang

BARGAIN CITY: Amy's Guide to All Things Bride blog
via Loehmann's trumpets:

In Manhattan, Beverly Hills, Reseda and North Miami only… Vera Wang bridesmaid and cocktail dresses!
Save over 85% off original retail prices on a limited selection of dresses. Shop early… many are one-of-a-kind and will not be repeated.
Only at Loehmann’s 49.99 to 149.99
(original retail price: $395 to $700)

How often do you see those 4 cities in a line together? Who's Vera Wang? She's opined on weddings.

I mean it's all true mostly, but... really... Van Nuys? ... I mean really ... Get real.

ONE TO THE CHIN: Blog Here in Van Nuys went harvesting CSUN's San Fernando Valley Issues Digital Library and found a cool shot of circa-'50s Reseda. He wrapped it in a harsh but apt slam on Reseda:

Yet 50 years later Reseda Boulevard is still a shabby, ugly, broken down street. The good thing is that cheap restaurants, bicycle stores, taco stands, vacuum repair outlets and pawn shops are also useful to earning a living.

It looks defensive to site the lack of taco stands and vacuum repair outlets on Reseda Boulevard.

Reseda once was the gateway for middle class families to buy a starter home and eventually move upwards and onwards. Now the starter home is half a million dollars. But Reseda Bouleveard looks like the main drag of a depressed area. Where are the leaders, the homeowners, the architects, the dreamers, the Mayor and the City Council who could turn this underutilized and wretched boulevard into a beautiful and aesthetic urban experience?

Actually, the CRA has the Reseda Theater rehab underway and soon the towers of powerlines will be gone as the overhead wiring goes underground. Things are changing. But it's harder when city attention is drawn just north, east, south and west of us (Northridge, Van Nuys, Tarzana, Canoga Park). Those folks about whom you ask, "Where are they?" Well, they're here. They could use your help.

Blogger Andrew, "that's Mr. Andrew to you," isn't afraid to show Van Nuys, warts and all. Archive has a similar (but different) Reseda photo, "Lots for sale to coloreds only." Pre-Bakke, obviously. But how's Reseda like something small and Swiss? :::: Ed. note-- Because we're cheesey and have all those holes? ::: He makes some other oblique comparisons too. But seems it's Tarzana that's hell on earth.

Oh "Boy"

BOOKS: "The Boy from Reseda" (pic here) is a book of poetry from Randy Stern from Autumbridge Media. He publishes his Randy's Little Corner of the 'Net blog where he discusses the book and promotional events and MotorGeek v2.0 blog of "News and Commentary for the GLBT Automotive Enthusiast." What's GLBT?

Previously: The O'Dooles of Reseda

Go Bruins

LANDMARKS: The Daily News reports the Reseda Post Office will soon be renamed for :::Ed. note-- indisputably ::: the best basketball coach ever and maybe the best player who ever became a great coach.

U.S. Rep. Brad Sherman, D - Sherman Oaks, introduced legislation to name the post office at 7320 Reseda Blvd. after Wooden, who led the UCLA Bruins to several Pac-10 and NCAA championships in the early 1970s. Sherman attended the University of California, Los Angeles, while Wooden was a coach there.

Several championships? Indeed (gif). As a college player, John Wooden averaged over 154 points in 12 games in '32. And as a pro, from '32-'37, made 138 straight free throws in games. As a coach, Wooden led the UCLA Bruins to 10 national championships, including seven in a row (1966-73) and with four perfect 30-0 seasons. They won 88 consecutive games (#2 on the list is hard to discover). So mythological is his record, authoritative(?) sources disagree on the number of Pac-10 (nee Pacific Coast Conference and Pac-8) wins. This site says both 19 & 20. It's 19.

Wooden, 95, has been Reseda-adjacent in Encino for the last three decades but Chick Hearn's name is on the Encino Post Office (hagiography here).
Wooden High is another Wooden in Reseda designation -- not a continuation school but a small learning community. ::: Ed note-- Whatever that is ::: Looks like this.

Wooden's particular about his name usage, in a dispute over the Wooden Award: "Wooden family agent Mark Humenik said the two sides differed over how Wooden should be able to use his name."

What do you have in your wallet?

WEBFIND: LAUSD construction projects database
Previously: The Reseda Post Office; Wooden High.

Obits

MAKING THE MEDIA: Reported by the Daily News' Holly J. Andres.

Take your time, be it work or pleasure, was the motto of Gordon "Gordy" Strange, a longtime Reseda resident who died Oct. 29 of emphysema. He was 77.

And:

Helping others was the passion in the life of longtime Reseda resident Ruth Falkin, who died of cancer on Sept. 30 in Tarzana. She was 80.

The latter worked with Operation Gratitude, who send care packages to troops abroad. ::::: Ed. note -- Care! ::::

Motion picture theater still pictures, still

LANDMARKS: This great shot of seatbacks is among the series of images of the Reseda Theater and some anecdotes about getting in to photograph are by Scarletlark. Also, there's this awesome treated pic of the outside, with someone apparently cleaning off the marquee! Good thing there's a photo, or such an act could never be proven. Before digital technology, that look would be achieved with infared film (info for geeks; samples -- scroll down). Now, photoshop is the likeliest suspect. Photos hosted by Buzznet.

A rundown and background of the CRA's rehab (scroll down to Apr 4 post) of the the rundown theater (designed by S. Charles Lee)is at LottaLivin.com. CinemaTreasures is following too; here too.

Reseda rocks

MUSIC: Back in the day, The Country Club was a live music venue as good as any in the city. Hard-rockers Manowar played there in '89. Photos (via photo host Webshots) uploaded to the web are by firehose16.