Disintegration in Sherman Oaks

The issue of whether the “disputed area” of Studio City/Sherman Oaks should be called one name or the other is unimportant. The main issue is getting a councilman who represents the interests of the people of the area and does NOT say, as Councilman Mike Woo has said, that he will “ignore the results of the poll.”

I was born in the “disputed area” in 1947. I love this area. Councilman Woo was born and raised in Los Angeles. His office is in Hollywood.

The people of Sherman Oaks do not want this area to disintegrate. The La Reina theater was destroyed and replaced by a cheap, tacky shopping center that looks like the first strong Santa Ana wind would blow it down. The corner of Coldwater Canyon and Ventura Boulevard, in Councilman Woo’s district, used to have the Tail O’ the Cock restaurant. Now it has been torn down and the land is empty, awaiting the start of a silly “The Center,” yet another schlocky shopping center to be put on a corner that already is at a standstill at rush hours. It took me 10 traffic light changes to get through that intersection yesterday. It may take days to get through after “The Center” is built.

Councilman Woo’s area also includes the Sportsmen’s Lodge, which is rumored to be on the market and available for big development.

Who is behind all this? Where is the money coming from? And how can we change the council districts so that we are represented by someone who cares about the area?

We can’t get Meese out. We can’t get Noriega out. Perhaps we can at least get Councilman Woo out.

LINDA COWAN MOSE

Sherman Oaks