🌱 Pizzeria Mozza’s Arsonist Pleads Guilty + Hotel Barclay Fire

Happy Tuesday, neighbors; today is World Music Therapy Day! Let's start today off on an informed note. Here's everything you need to know about what's happening today in Los Angeles.

An arsonist will be sentenced in June. Also, the first floor of the hotel on S. Main St. burned. Finally, Vision Zero fails to live up to its function.

First, today's weather:

Mostly sunny. High: 86 Low: 57.

Here are the top five stories in Los Angeles today:

1. Who torched Hollywood’s Pizzeria Mozza and Mozza2Go on the corner of Highland and Melrose? On Monday, a 44-year-old Sylmar resident pleaded guilty to a federal arson charge. He set the fire “during the civil disturbances that roiled the city two years ago.” The fire caused $500,000 in structural damage and $50,000 in other property damage. Sentencing is scheduled for June 27. (My News LA)
2. The Hotel Barclay on South Main Street caught on fire Sunday evening. The LAFD responded with 74 firefighters at the scene. While smoke reached the second and third floors, they were able to contain the fire to the first floor. (CBS)
3. A Monday report of Vision Zero’s effectiveness shows that the 2015 initiative did not succeed in eliminating traffic deaths by 2025. Actually, “nearly 300 people were killed in traffic collisions” the LAPD reports. The death toll represents a 21% increase in traffic fatalities from the prior year. (Spectrum News 1)
4. In 2016, Pan Am Equities bought the Glassell Park property at 2800 Casitas for $22 million. The developer spent the next four years trying to push through a plan for a 419-unit project. However, there was “pushback from neighboring residents and a coalition of river advocacy groups.” We learned Sunday that Pan Am Equities sold the property for $43 million to Rexford Industrial. (Bis Now)
5. Leave it to an Arizona State University cancer biology PhD student to tell us about the most popular Korean BBQ restaurants. We learned Monday that there is a graph! According to the data, you cannot go wrong with “Wi BBQ, Yuk Dae Jang, and Kang Hodong Baekjeong” if you are looking for inexpensive and good quality. If you’re ready to splurge, head to “Park’s BBQ, Bulgogi Hut, Quarters and Chosun Galbee” as well as Brothers Korean Barbecue. (Time Out L.A.)

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Today in Los Angeles:

• Notary Public Classes at A&A Notary (8:45 AM)
• 8th Annual Women’s Voices Now Film Festival (9 AM)
• Virtual Book Club with the Miraleste Library (11 AM)
• Mardi Gras Fat Tuesday Bash at Harold & Belle’s (11:30 AM)
• Free Income Tax Preparation and Filing at the Van Nuys Branch Library (12 PM to 3 PM)

From my notebook:

• Our Cypress Park neighbor lost their dog. She is black/tan, has stitches on tummy; left tooth sticks out. (Nextdoor)
• A West University area neighbor is looking for a vet for a cat's checkup. (Nextdoor)
• A neighbor West of Lincoln Heights is looking for a soccer team to join. (Nextdoor)
• Our Colonial Gardens neighbor started a new group: Bulgarians in West LA. Everyone who is interested is welcome to join. (Nextdoor)

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You're all caught up for today! I'll see you soon.

— 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.