🌱 Catalytic Converter Law + Charter Schools Teach + Sushi Yuen Honors

Good morning, everybody! Today’s Gryffindor Pride Day; did you know author J.K. Rowling got the idea for Harry Potter in 1990 while waiting for a train? I'm here with your fresh copy of the Los Angeles Patch newsletter. Keep reading to find out all the community news you need to know right now, including:

• 💰 Celebs’ escrow issues
• 🤔 Ficus trees make bad neighbors.
• 🥇 Sushi Yuen added to the Michelin Guide

💗 Please help us grow! Send a friend or neighbor this link, so they can be in the know, like you!

🌧️ But first, today's weather:

Showers, heavy t-storms. High: 56 Low: 47.

🏠 If you're a real estate agent in Los Angeles, of course you're looking for a way to stand out from the crowd and attract new clients. We can help you do that with an exclusive sponsorship in the Los Angeles Patch newsletter. Click here to learn more.

⛽ Three of the Cheapest Gas Stations in the City of Los Angeles

• VP Racing Fuels at 105 E Imperial Hwy., $4.25
• United Oil at 12000 Culver Blvd., $4.39
• 76 at 1800 E Olympic Blvd., $4.39

😋 Fair Food Poll!
Fair food is the ultimate cheat meal. Although we all know it’s unhealthy, everyone has a guilty pleasure. Which is your favorite?

• 26.2% Funnel cake
• 24.6% Candy apples
• 18.4% Corndogs
• 4.6% Guacamole
• 3.1% Cotton candy, Cheesecake, Tri-Tip sandwiches, Turkey legs
• 1.5% Guacamole with cheese, Pork chop on a stick. Deep-fried bacon-wrapped pickle, Cinnamon rolls, Spicy sausage link on a French roll, Fried cheese curds, Deep-fried butter, Blooming onions

The rest have the willpower to stay away from fair food.

📰 Here are the top stories in Los Angeles today:

1. The City Council voted Tuesday 8-4 to make it illegal “to possess a catalytic converter that is not attached to a vehicle without proof of ownership.” This proposed law is, of course, in response to the ongoing cases of converter thefts from right in front of folks’ houses. However, the slim margin triggered the need for another vote at a later meeting. Council member Eunisses Hernandez disagrees, and said criminalizing possession alone is wrong “because we know which communities are going to be the most criminalized because of this.” (Patch)
2. While the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) is hobbled by a three-day strike — with more possibly coming — charter schools continue to hold classes and teach students. Examples include Ednovate college prep schools, Echo Park’s Gabriella Charter school, and the 26 Alliance School campuses. Quite a few of these schools are in East Los Angeles. (The Eastsider LA)
3. If you’re selling a high-end home, think twice before doing business with Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck. So far, they had three escrows fall through: one in Bel-Air, a mansion at 14330 West Sunset Boulevard, and a Pacific Palisades home at 1678 Alta Mura Road. Reportedly, they now have their eye on a Holmby Hills mansion at 10250 West Sunset Boulevard. (The Real Deal/paywall)
4. Speaking of real estate, we learned of a bitter dispute involving a Laurelwood hilltop home in Studio City. A neighbor obstructed another’s view by planting ficus trees. Realtors say that an “unobstructed view in the hills above L.A. adds a minimum of 20%” to a property’s value. However, you have no way to recoup your 20% if your neighbor puts up large trees — and no ordinance protects you. (LA Mag)
5. Earlier this month, we discussed Leona’s Sushi House at 11814 Ventura Boulevard and Niku X at 900 Wilshire Boulevard, which were added to the Michelin Guide. We learned on Tuesday that Sushi Yuen at 18558 Gale Avenue also made the list! According to the insiders, “each course just gets better and better.” (Patch, NBC)

📆 Today in Los Angeles:

• Pierce College hosts a French Film Festival (4 PM)
• Bring the kids to a Button Making Activity at the Arroyo Seco Regional Branch Library (4 PM)
• The Fleet Foxes perform at The Belasco (7 PM)
• Gemini performs the Still Blue Tour at 1720 (7 PM)
• It's Country Night at The Canyon (8 PM)

🖊️ From my notebook:

• "Ceramics—a vital field of expression and experimentation 🌟 Examine how artists working in ceramics today relate to international artistic traditions of the medium, both through deliberate references to the past and by engaging with aspects of clay’s materiality that have inspired makers over the centuries. 'Conversing in Clay: Ceramics from the LACMA Collection,' is on view through May 21, 2023." (LA County Museum of Art via Instagram)
• "To access student activities and resources, please log on to Schoology at lms.lausd.net." (Los Angeles Unified via Instagram)
• "Student supervision will be available at select elementary, middle and high schools from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Please visit achieve.lausd.net/schoolupdates to see the list of sites." (Los Angeles Unified via Instagram)
• "LAFD Photo Gallery: PANORAMA CITY - Early Monday morning, firefighters extinguished flames that burned through multiple units of a four-story apartment building, sending five to the hospital." (Los Angeles Fire Department via Facebook)
• "LA County Parks is extending the Every Body Plays program at 16 select parks and 2 Nature Centers from 8AM to 5:30PM, March 21 - 23 for youth during the LAUSD strike." (County of Los Angeles Department of Parks & Recreation via Facebook)

🏡 What are homes selling for these days in Los Angeles?

• Median Listing Home Price $1.1M
• Median Listing Home Price/Square Foot $669
• Median Sold Home Price $900K

Check out more Los Angeles real estate information!

🐶 See adorable adoptable Pets Of The Week in the Los Angeles Area!

More from our sponsors — thanks for supporting local news!

Featured events:

• Liddy Clark at The Peppermint Club (March 25)
• Estate Planning for Your Loved Ones - Webinar (March 25)
• Hop to It! Caring Bunny Returns to Del Amo Fashion Center for Easter (March 26)
• Torrance Antique Street Faire (March 26)
• Estate Planning Webinar on March 27th and 29th (March 27)
• Add your event

Thanks for following along and staying informed. I'll see you around!

— Sylvia Cochran

About me: Sylvia Cochran works out of sunny Southern California and has been freelance writing full-time since 2005. She loves dogs, cats, books, plays Best Fiends (don't judge), embraces social justice, and tries to live out Micah 6:8.

Have a news tip or suggestion for an upcoming Los Angeles Patch newsletter? Contact me at losangeles@patch.com