Larchmont Chronicle
VOL. 63, NO. 8
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n ICE raids, Sen. Bill 79 were discussed
Kiel Fitzgerald Jennifer Kim
Lisha Yakub Sevanian
Celebrating its 60th anniversary!
9 Larchmont Chronicle
AUGUST 2025
SECTION ONE
Andrew Reich
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Sam Uretsky
The Larchmont Chronicle’s 2025
Men of Larchmont Saving the planet, one lawsuit at a time
Building for positive local change
MAKING a comeback. By Suzan Filipek Andrew Reich is on a mission to help save the planet, and he’s told more than a few jokes along the way. He’s a 30year member of EarthJustice, a nonprofit environmental group whose legal team fights to keep our air clean and water pure as well as fend off actions by the Trump administration. “I’ve been passionate about [the environment] as long as I can remember,” Reich said last month at the Chronicle. He’s also funny. Early on, the New Jersey native honed his comedic chops watching the Marx Brothers and Mel Brooks’ “Blazing Saddles.” Later, he would hone his comedic skills as part of an improv student comedy group while at Yale.
“You have to be a bit of an optimist to work in this field, but there is a lot of good news.” The group took their show on the road, including to schools on the West Coast, where Reich would settle, graduating from Yale with an English degree. An avid reader of contemporary fiction, he found a job at a literary agency that had once represented Raymond Chandler and F. Scott Fitzgerald. “It was such
a cool first job,” Reich recalled. But he had a dream of screenwriting and, with his former roommate, wrote a spec script for “The Simpsons.” His former roommate, who was now studying law at Harvard, “didn’t want to be a lawyer, and I didn’t want to be an agent,” he said. In what can only be described as a true Hollywood ending, their script was picked up, and after a few short-lived network shows, Reich was hired on the fourth season of the hugely successful sitcom “Friends.” Over the next seven years he rose from executive story editor to executive producer, winning an Emmy for Best Comedy along the way. He would go on to sell over 20 TV network pilots, which led to his comedic podcast, “Dead Pilots Society.” His most recent project, near and dear to his heart, is the documentary “Born Innocent: The Redd Kross Story.” It tells the story of the influential Los Angeles band of the same name and includes interviews with members of Pearl Jam, The Go-Go’s and Black Flag, among other musical influencers. As Reich’s success rose, (Please turn to Page 22)
By Nona Sue Friedman Starting as a native New Yorker, with a brief stop in the Ohio, Sam Uretsky has made Larchmont Village his home for past 26 years. “It was good fortune to be here. The weather is too intoxicating,” said Uretsky. He feels lucky to have found this neighborhood through his wife’s cousin, who lived in Windsor Square. Upon moving here, Uretsky and his wife, Barbara, bought the house they still live in. Disney recruited him in 1999 to organize their broadband internet group. He stayed for a couple of years, built the group he was asked to build, then left to be on his own and start his company. Uretsky ran his own management and consulting firm, dealing with media marketing. It’s no wonder his emails are so easy to read and act on! His work took him around the globe. He liked being on his own, without the bureaucracy he experienced at Disney. He retired gradually from 2014 to 2017. Uretsky’s involvement in the neighborhood started in 2020, when a house on his block was being rented out by event organizers hosting large, loud parties. As he said, “It ignited something
in me. I have a great love for the neighborhood and wanted to make a difference.” Maneuvering through numerous agencies that were needed to make a change—Los Angeles Police Department, Los Angeles City Council Districts, Los Angeles Dept. of Building and Safety, Larchmont Village Neighborhood Association (LVNA), Greater Wilshire Neighborhood Association (GWNC)—opened his eyes to the local organizations and government departments he didn’t realize were surrounding him.
“It ignited something in me. I have a great love for the neighborhood and wanted to make a difference.” His goal was to shut down the party house. It was illegal and intolerable to live near. His persistence and dedication to the project paid off when the house was finally shut down by the city just under two years later. Now that his passion for helping the community was lit, he worked with a neighbor who had started a text chain for his area. She and Uretsky merged their efforts and formed Lucerne Arden United (LAU). According to Uretsky, “[It’s] the best orga-
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nized neighborhood in L.A. The model should be rolled out throughout Larchmont.” LAU is comprised of 150 neighbors within six blocks that all look out for each other, have block captains, help with babysitting in a pinch and have neighborhood walks with their senior lead officers. These walks have strengthened the fraught relationship between police officers and residents in recent years, according to Uretsky. In 2023 and 2024, Uretsky was instrumental in helping North Plymouth Boulevard shut down its party house, which had plagued their neighborhood with crowds, reckless driving, noise and trash. This time, it was a much shorter process. Having done it once, he knew what was needed and what had to be documented to help agencies cease its operation. Uretsky sits on the Transportation Committee of the GWNC and served on the board of the LVNA for a few years. He’s also recently formed two advocacy groups for the area. One is Fight Back!, an informal group that deals with state bills along with local security issues. The other is Reboot Larchmont, which is working to make positive changes to the housing and real estate landscape of (Please turn to Page 22)
SNEAK peak at Geffen Gallery at LACMA. 2-2
YOUTH SPORTS.
Mailing permit:
Larchmont 2030 calls for ‘gentle density’
Exclusive: Interview with Mayor Bass
IN THIS ISSUE
2-6
By Chronicle Staff Last month, the Chronicle had the opportunity to interview our neighbor and Mayor, Karen Bass. While the interview was limited in time, we were able to touch on issues important to our neighborhood and our city. When asked about the legality of the current ICE operations in Los Angeles, she said, “Courts backed up what the [Trump] administration did.” Therefore, because of the precedent recently set it would appear the raids are legal. (Editor’s note: As the paper went to press, a federal judge had issued a temporary restraining order ceasing ICE raids in Southern California.) See Mayor Bass, P 8
Homeless Count drops last two years n Good news disupted
By Suzan Filipek Homelessness has dropped two years in a row, according to the results of the 2025 Greater Los Angeles Homeless Count released last month. The latest count “gives us something we haven’t had enough of lately: a sign of progress,” Marilyn Wells, Hancock Park, and Allison Schallert of Stories From the Frontline, said in a statement. The annual Point-in-Time released by the Los Angeles See Homeless, P 7
BACK TO SCHOOL
Next month’s issue will highlight students, afterschool activities and schools! Advertising deadline is Mon., Aug. 11. For information on advertising, contact 323-4622241, ext. 13, or email wyatt@larchmontchronicle.com.
AUGUST 2025
n Old-time ‘Main Street’
ON SET LOCAL RESIDENTS Ellen Goldsmith-Vein (center) and Jon Vein (right) will have more incentive to keep dollars in Los Angeles.
Film production tax credit passes Congress n Move aims to restore Hollywood’s iconic role By Benajmin Gamson Legislation to incentivize film and television production in California was signed by Governor Gavin Newsom July 3. Assembly Bill 1138 raises the tax credit from 20% to 35% for productions and 25% to 40% for productions that are moving to California from other states. “For more than a century, Hollywood has stood as a symbol of dreams and opportunity, not just for California, but for the world,” wrote As-
semblymember Rick Chavez Zbur in a statement. “But in recent years, that promise has been slipping away. With today’s nearly unanimous votes to pass the California Film & TV Jobs Act, California is shattering the status quo and giving one of our most iconic industries the tools it needs to change the ending.” The bill passed the California State Senate 32-2 and the California State Assembly 691. The legislation’s authors See Film production, P 4
By Nona Sue Friedman Housing in Los Angeles is a hot-button item, and the future of upper Larchmont Boulevard between Beverly Boulevard and Melrose Avenue has been in discussion for several years. Reboot Larchmont, a local advocacy group started by Larchmont Village resident Sam Uretsky, has teamed up with Livable Communities Initiative (LCI), a grassroots organization also started in the neighborhood. See Larchmont, P 6
Two high-rise projects on Larchmont move forward
By Suzan Filipek Two upper Larchmont Boulevard high-rise apartment projects have moved forward after they were granted Letters of Compliance from the Dept. of City Planning on June 13. The letters allow them to begin the permit process. “The neighborhood stands firmly against these two See Larchmont, P 4
A treasure trove of books awaits
n Curated finds found at independent store
By H. Hutcheson I walked into Rebecca Ressler’s small bookstore, Hollywood Books, at 6917 Melrose Avenue, to learn what she is suggesting to read this summer and found out so much more, including how a small independent bookstore has found its way. My timing was impeccable as local resident Amelia Kring was in the shop with her dog ZZ picking up a few books for her annual trip to the Bahamas. Kring said, “My first stop before a vacation is always Hollywood Books!” This is not your typical
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SUMMER READING suggestions for a read you might not come across elsewhere.
Barnes & Noble. Here there’s a rotating rack with recommended books from friends in the neighborhood of Ressler and her husband, Macklin Casnoff, who happens to be one of the owners of nearby restaurant and wine bar, Stir Crazy, also on Melrose Avenue. Heading to the Bahamas See Books, P 7
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AT HOLLYWOOD BOOKS (left to right) Macklin Casnoff, owner Rebecca Ressler, and Amelia Kring with dog ZZ.
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