🌱 YIGBY At Holmes & 55th Street + Robbers Want Your Luxury Watches

Happy Saturday, neighbors; today is World Autism Awareness Day (WAAD)! Here's everything happening today in town.

How the Harvest Tabernacle Bible Church sets the example for faith communities across the Southland. Also, lock up your luxury watches. Finally, a building owner can avoid jail time.

First, today's weather:

Low clouds, then some sun. High: 69 Low: 55.

Here are the top five stories in Los Angeles today:

1. Harvest Tabernacle Bible Church members have joined the “‘YIGBY’ movement, or Yes In God’s Backyard, an antidote to ‘NIMBY-ism’.” Situated at the corner of Holmes Avenue and East 55th Street, the church building has been torn town to make room for “a multipurpose building with apartments, communal living spaces, a rooftop garden and a grocery store.” “It allows the church to think outside the box. Does the church still exist if there is no building? Absolutely,” the pastor said Friday. (Spectrum News 1)
2. L.A. robbers have a taste for luxury watches. As of Thursday, the LAPD recorded five incidents in one week. They are: attempted robberies in the 1000 block of Larrabee Street and the 8800 block of Ashcroft Avenue; a home invasion robbery at Butler Avenue and Mississippi Avenue; an attempted break-in at Burton Way and Willaman Drive; and a stolen Rolex in the 8400 block of Santa Monica Boulevard. Please call the Sheriff’s Department at 310-855-8850 if you have any information. (KTLA)
3. In 2020, a DTLA building caught on fire. A subsequent explosion injured 12 firefighters. “City prosecutors filed more than 160 charges against (the owner) and his companies over alleged safety violations.” However, we learned Friday that the owner “has been allowed to enter a judicial diversion program that allows him to avoid jail time.” (Turn To 23)
4. The L.A. Civil + Human Rights and Equity Department and its Transgender Advisory Council recognized Transgender Day of Visibility to host a job fair on Thursday. This event was “for transgender and nonbinary people, connecting more than 60 participants with 12 employers.” According to statistics, “trans and nonbinary people face unemployment at twice the rate of the general population.” (Patch)
5. If you were on Beverly Boulevard on Friday, you may have seen the installation of the Historic Filipinotown Eastern Gateway at the neighborhood’s entrance. It is 82 feet wide and 30 feet tall. Artists “incorporated Filipino cultural symbols including a parol, which is a Filipino ornamental lantern; the Gumamela flower also known as hibiscus to pay tribute to frontline workers; and the Sarimanok, which is a legendary bird originating on the Filipino island Mindanao.” This project has been in the works since 2018. (NBC)

Today in Los Angeles:

• Hollywood Hike To End Homelessness at the Griffith Park: Boy Scout Trail (7:30 AM)
• Fruit Tree Giveaway Festival in the City of San Fernando (9 AM)
• Estate Planning for Your Loved Ones (Webinar) (10 AM)
• Tomlin UNITED Concert at Banc of California Stadium (6 PM)
• Aventuras Reggaeton & Hip-Hop Party at the Treehouse (10 PM)

From my notebook:

• Our Montecito Heights neighbor is missing their cat. It ran off around Berenice Ave and Ave 43. Please check your backyard areas! (Nextdoor)
• A NoHo Arts District Southwest neighbor is wondering if anyone is looking to give away or sell moving boxes. (Nextdoor)
• A neighbor in the La Brea-Melrose area is looking for a place and someone in the Melrose area to play pickle ball. (Nextdoor)

More from our sponsors — thanks for supporting local news!

Featured businesses:

• Polished2Perfection LA —
• Yes Assistant - Virtual Assistant Service — (Visit Website)
• Rolling Robots — (Visit website)
• Market-Connections Professional Resume Writing Services — (Visit website)
• Vydeo Media — (Visit website)
• Add your business here

Events:

• The Sweetest Meaningful Hour Helping Our Moms Love Work Enjoy LA's Best Coffee + Chocolates (April 3)
• Kids Do Drawing Earn Donations for Ukraine and Sweet Treats (April 3)
• The Sweetest Contest for Girls Who Love Drawing and Shopping (April 3)
• Taxes in Retirement Webinar (April 4)
• Planet Fitness Grand Opening (April 5)
• Estate Planning for Your Loved Ones - Webinar (April 6)
• The Survivor Author Series (April 8)
• Santa Anita Derby Day 5K (April 9)
• Estate Planning for Your Loved Ones - Webinar (April 9)
• A Sweet Mom Brunch Help Your College Grad Land 1st Job! (April 22)
• [Free Masterclass] Increase Your Website Sales & Leads Using SEO (April 22)
• Heroes for Hearing 5k Run & Fundraiser (May 1)
• Add your event

Announcements:

• Private Hiking Partner / Life Coach (Details)
• Add your announcement

Other classifieds:

• Wanted - VW Double Cab Transporter (Details)
• Add your classified

Loving the Los Angeles Daily? Here are all the ways you can get more involved:

• Send a friend or neighbor this link, so they can subscribe
• Get your local business listed in front of readers
• Send me a news tip or suggestion at losangeles@patch.com

You're officially in the loop 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.