Chinese Arts Group Makes Play for Broad Museum Parcel

DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES – A Chinese group hoping to develop a 3,000 seat theater and performing arts academy on the parcel tabbed for philanthropist Eli Broad’s $100 million art museum is clamoring for local officials to more closely consider their proposal.

• Police Arrest 13 in Crackdown at Seventh and Main

  DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES – LAPD detectives and gang officers arrested 13 men early Tuesday morning as part of special enforcement operation targeting drug sales at Seventh and Main streets.
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• Detectives Bust Street Gamblers

  DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES – Two LAPD detectives broke up a three-card monte game near 530 S. Los Angeles St. on Monday morning and arrested 67-year-old Leobardo Valencia, who was acting as the dealer in the age-old street scheme.
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Make Voices Heard on High-Speed Rail Plan

OPINION: DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES - There is good news and bad news concerning a July 8 report from the California High-Speed Rail Authority. The good news is that plans are progressing on a $40 billion bullet-train network across the state, and that Union Station in Downtown Los Angeles will serve as one of the hubs. This is appropriate, and will enhance the structure that is already a nexus of rail travel. It will bring even more activity to Downtown.

• Go Easy on the Rave Rhetoric

  OPINION: DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES - Those who book raves at the Coliseum and Sports Arena dodged a bullet recently, when the commission that oversees Exposition Park stopped short of canceling some of the massive dance/electronic music festivals, and instead delivered a sort of “last chance” warning to promoters. Organizers of the events in the publicly owned spaces are now compelled to prohibit minors from entering and must have medical teams on site.
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• Lesson From a Wine Bar Dispute

  OPINION: DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES - Over the past two weeks, much talk, on the street and online, has been devoted to the abrupt closing of popular Downtown wine bar The Must. The situation has sparked anger and frustration replete with accusations and counter accusations. We are not opining in this space about who was right or wrong, who said what and when or who did what and when. We are noting instead the need for an important if nettlesome reminder: Any new business, no matter the size, needs to arm itself with the best legal advice its owners can afford.
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Ancient Poetry and Texas Oilmen

DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES - A night of ancient poetry and tunes is planned at the Chado Tea Room at the Japanese American National Museumwith an Evening Champagne Tea Service and Poetry Performance from 5-8 p.m. The event will feature leading tanka poet and Tokyo-based performance artist Mariko Kitakubo who will present Japan's oldest and most popular poetry form accompanied by music on original instruments. A book signing will follow.

• CalArts Brings Gertrude Stein Downtown

  DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES – A Los Angeles Street loft has been transformed into a theater for the CalArts Center for New Performances’ production of Gertrude Stein’s modernist masterwork Brewsie and Willie.
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• Purple Melon and Meiko at Pershing Square

  DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES – Beta Record’s curatorial role at the Pershing Square summer stage continues Wednesday, July 28 with Purple Melon, an up-and-coming band from England, and L.A.-based songwriter Meiko.
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