Larchmont Chronicle
VOL. 63, NO. 9
• DELIVERED TO 76,439 READERS IN HANCOCK PARK • WINDSOR SQUARE • FREMONT PLACE • MIRACLE MILE • PARK LA BREA • LARCHMONT •
IN THIS ISSUE
Senate bill passes state Legislature
When will clock start to tick again on Blvd. n Experts are perplexed
HALLOWEEN & HARVEST 2-3
HANGING OUT, Doing Good.
HALLOWEEN past.
By Nona Sue Friedman “It’s a big electrical mystery. It’s just not fixed yet,” said Heather Duffy Boylston, executive director of the Larchmont Village Business Improvement District (BID), referring to the stopped clock. According to Boylston, the city has sent different agencies to assess the situation and BID has also hired an electrician. But with all of that effort, See Clock, P 12
2-11
Mailing permit:
By Brian Curran In my July column I addressed for the second time the threat of Senate Bill 79 (SB 79) to our historic neighborhoods and landmarks and encouraged my readers to contact your elected representatives to oppose this bill. Despite our efforts, the bill squeaked by, having been amended multiple times to TORAH DEDICATION WAS held in mid-September in front of the home at 200 N. Orange Dr. in Citrus Square.
n Residents mostly speak against request at hearing
THE BROKEN CLOCK on Larchmont is right twice a day—but that won’t cut it.
Dining Guide
50-YEAR reunion at Park La Brea. 2-16
n SB 79: A weakened bill crosses the finish line
Rabbi seeks permit for a synagogue on Orange Dr.
1-10
Read all about it in the November issue of the Larchmont Chronicle. Advertising deadline is Mon., Oct. 13. For information, contact 323-4622241, ext. 13, or email wyatt@larchmontchronicle.com.
By Suzan Filipek Residents and congregants spoke passionately for five hours at a zoning meeting last month about a proposal to turn a home at 200 S. Orange Dr. into a house of worship for Modern Orthodox Jews. Longtime residents—some of whom have lived in the Citrus Square neighborhood, which is on the National Register of Historic Places, for decades—said the former duplex had been operating “illegally” as a place of worship for years. Its religious services bring more than 100 people on weekends to the quiet neighborhood. By contrast, members of Bais Medrash of Hancock
Park—the impromptu synagogue—spoke of how the synagogue has changed their lives. They explained that the synagogue brings a sense of peace as a welcoming space that is open to all and also is a safe haven for Jews, who are being persecuted more and more in the city of L.A. The meeting was hosted on Zoom Sept. 10 by Associate Zoning Administrator Phyllis Nathanson, who is considering a Conditional Use Permit (CUP) for the home. In October 2024, the owner of the home, Rabbi Yekusiel Kalmenson, applied for the permit to convert the existing building on the 8,000-squareSee Synagogue, P 14
Larchmont Family Fair coming to town
n Costumes, music, fun are at the fair Oct. 26
By Suzan Filipek Get ready to party, in a family way! The Larchmont Family Fair returns for its 60th year with rides and fun for all ages on Sun., Oct. 26 from noon to 5 p.m. on Larchmont Boulevard. The Boulevard will be closed to traffic between Beverly Boulevard and First Street. See Family Fair, P 10
OCTOBER 2025
See Senate Bill, P 15
Partisan maps– should we fight fire with fire? n Voters to decide
By Jon Vein Every 10 years, after the census, America redraws its political map. This redistricting process determines who represents us in Congress, and while it may sound like a technical chore, it is one of the most consequential exercises in American politics. The way district lines are drawn can tilt the balance of power in Washington for an entire decade. In Texas, Republicans have embraced what critics call “mid-cycle redistricting,” encouraged by President Donald See Redistricting, P 6
Vote
on or before Tue., Nov. 4
Democracy is on the ballot
REVELERS and costumed winners at the Family Fair last year.
@larchmontchron
@thelarchmontchronicle
@LarchmontChronicle
By Suzan Filipek Let your voice be heard. No matter what side of the contentious Congressional District Map you’re on, now’s your chance to speak up—at the ballot box. Voting for the Statewide Special Election begins in early October and continues See Democracy, P 12 @LarchmontChronicle
Visit larchmontchronicle.com for exclusive content and breaking news