LTCC Community Meeting Update

Here are a few upcoming events that were discussed at this month's LTCC meeting:

Budokan

LTSC and the CRA are seeking Prop-84 funding from the State of California for the Budokan, a community recreational center. Community members are urged to take part in meetings to discuss what features they would like to see at the Budokan. Please attend and voice your opinions, concerns, and questions!

Thursday, Jan. 28 6-8pm @ JACCC (Garden Room) * Food will be catered by Don Tahara

Saturday, Feb. 6, 9am to Noon @ JACCC (Conference Rm A & B) * There will be breakfast and lunch served

Little Tokyo Korea Japan Festival

The Japan Foundation and the Korean Cultural Center, along with the Japan Korea Society, DCA, and KOFIC, are working with the JACCC to present the LT Korea-Japan Festival on Saturday, February 2, 2010 at the Aratani/Japan America Theatre and JACCC Plaza.

For $20 ($15 for JACCC members, seniors, students, and groups of 10 or more), enjoy a Korean-Japanese bento, outdoor performances, the documentary New Beginnings, and a double feature: the award-winning Yeong-hwa-neun yeong-hwa da (Rough Cut) and Sanjuro, a remake of Kurosawa's Tsubaki Sanjuro. The festival begins at 11am with Rough Cut, followed by New Beginnings at 1pm and Sanjuro at 3pm. Come to this event and be part of the cultural exchange!

DISKovery Center Benefit Concert featuring the Ark Sano Trio

6:30PM Saturday, January 30th at Saint Francis Xavier Chapel (formerly Maryknoll), located in Little Tokyo at 222 South Hewitt Street Los Angeles, CA 90012. Tickets are $25.00 for general admission and $50.00 for VIP admission (which includes exclusive seating, an autographed CD, and more). Complementary desert and drinks will be provided with admission.

To purchase tickets in person please come by the DISKovery Center in Little Tokyo
353 E. 1st St, Los Angeles, CA 90012

To purchase tickets over the phone with a credit card please call 213-473-3027

Tickets may also be purchased at the event.

For more information please call 213.621.4158

There are many events forthcoming in March, so stay connected and check your RSS feeds! And as a reminder, if you have events, announcements, or if you wish to become a frequent contributor, please contact mniiya@ltsc.org.

Little Tokyo Historical Society: Last Call for Images!

This is the last call for historic images for possible inclusion in the book, Los Angeles's Little Tokyo.

We are looking to scan original photographs that show how people have worked, lived, and played in Little Tokyo throughout its history.

If you would like your photos scanned, please contact Stephanie Van at (213) 473-1665 or svan@ltsc.org to make an appointment on Saturday, February 6^th, between 9am and 12pm, at the Little Tokyo Service Center, located at 231 E 3rd St, Suite G106, Los Angeles, CA 90013.

Park and Rec Center Design Workshops

The CRA and several agencies are hosting a series of workshops and discussion meetings to solicit input on a Little Tokyo recreation center (Budokan of Los Angeles) and park proposal for Proposition 84 funding. The discussions offer an opportunity for community residents and other stakeholders to participate in the planning and design of these important Little Tokyo developments.

1. January 20th, 6:00 to 8:00 pm
CRA/LA Community Advisory Committee
Japanese American Cultural & Community Center
5th Floor Cultural Room
244 South San Pedro Street, LA CA 90012

2. January 21st, 6:00 to 8:30 pm
Casa Heiwa Residents Meeting
LTSC Conference Room
231 East 3rd Street, LA CA 90013

3. January 26th noon
Little Tokyo Community Council meeting @ JANM
369 E. 1st Street, LA CA 90012

4. January 28th, 6:00 to 8:30 pm
Community-wide Workshop
Japanese American Cultural & Community Center
Garden Meeting Room
244 South San Pedro Street, LA CA 90012

5. February 6th, 9:00 to Noon
Community-wide Final Workshop
Japanese American Cultural & Community Center
Conference Room A & B (2nd Floor)
244 South San Pedro Street, LA CA 90012Casa Heiwa

New Parking Meters Today, January 12, 2010

Today, the Department of Transportation unveiled new parking meters in Little Tokyo. These new meters feature LCD screens, accept both coins and credit cards, and will display the new parking hours. In most areas, parking times will be from 8am to 8pm (excluding Sunday). The maximum parking time will increase from 1 hour to 2 hours.

These changes affect the following streets:

• 1st Street from Los Angeles St to Central Ave
• 2nd Street from Los Angeles St to Alameda St
• San Pedro St from 1st St to 3rd St
• Central Ave from 1st St to 3rd St
• Astronaut Ellison Onizuka Street South of 1st St

Newly Released Consultant RFQ

Call for Consultant Applicants

The Little Tokyo Community Council (LTCC) is an organization of key stakeholders committed to ensuring that Little Tokyo remains a center for Japanese American history and culture and a vital part of downtown Los Angeles. The LTCC is seeking a consultant to assist the Little Tokyo community as it formulates comments for inclusion in the Regional Connector Transit Corridor Project Draft EIS/R being prepared by Metro. This consultant will be paid up to $30,000 by Metro and selected by the LTCC to assist the community with the development of proposed mitigation measures for each of the build alternatives under consideration for the regional connector. The consultant will be employed for up to six months with work to commence in February 2010 and most of the work completed during the first three months of the contract.

Individuals and organizations interested in being considered for this consultant position should submit a letter of interest and statement of qualifications by no later than Wednesday, January 20, 2010. These materials should be submitted via email or mail to:

Chris Aihara, Co-Chair
LTCC Transit Committee
c/o Japanese American Cultural and Community Center
244 So. San Pedro St.
Los Angeles, CA 90012
aihara@jaccc.org

For further information, please email Chris Aihara at Aihara@jaccc.org.
For further information regarding the Regional Connector Transit Corridor please visit the Metro website at: www.metro.net/regionalconnector/

Little Tokyo Community Council (www.ltcc.janet.org)
369 East First Street
Los Angeles, CA 90012