Villaraigosa

Lewis and Clark and Antonio

Mayor on Lower Owens River
Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa put on his jeans and outdoor boots and helicoptered up to the Eastern Sierra this morning to all but apologize to the locals for Los Angeles stripping the Owens Valley of its once-abundant water. "We took your water and we turned this once beautiful valley into a desert, and our own city into an oasis," Villaraigosa said beside the Lower Owens River, a formerly dry bed that the Department of Water and Power is restoring to comply with a judge's order. "I promise this is not the last time you'll hear from us in Bishop, Independence and Lone Pine." He then took to the bow and paddled downstream for about a mile with a few media types and environmentalists in his wake. I'm fairly confident my KCRW commentary this week will discuss City Hall's new approach to the Eastern Sierra, where the swath of land owned by the people of Los Angeles is larger than the city itself. Full frame.

Photo: Peter Roderick / LA Observed


More by Kevin Roderick:
Standing up to Harvey Weinstein
The Media
LA Times gets a top editor with nothing but questions
LA Observed Notes: Harvey Weinstein stripped bare
LA Observed Notes: Photos of the homeless, photos that found homes
Recent Villaraigosa stories on LA Observed:
Villaraigosa marries in weekend ceremony in Mexico
DNC: Garcetti and Villaraigosa to speak
Villaraigosa acting more like a candidate
Villaraigosa to host Clinton funder in Beachwood Canyon home
Friday news and notes: Police, politics, water and more
Villaraigosa buys in Beachwood Canyon for $2.5 million
Villaraigosa opts out of Senate race -- and now it gets interesting
Villaraigosa's day and more politics notes


 

LA Observed on Twitter