New Pocket Park to  be Made in Watts

Roughly 5,000 square feet of vacant city-owned land was secured Nov. 6 for the development of a pocket park at the intersection of East 115th Street and Arvella Grigsby Place in Watts.

The park will be developed with $25,000 in beautification grant funds, which have been awarded to the Watts Neighborhood Council.

The park will be named Grigsby Park in honor of Mrs. Arvella Grigsby, who has been a community leader in South Los Angeles for more than 40 years. Her efforts have included working for the Westminster Neighborhood Association for 22 years; volunteering with youth groups and organizing the first parents’ club in the Jordan Downs housing development; and being an active member of the Watts Gang Task Force.

The new park has an expected completion date of Spring 2010.

Watts Neighborhood Council to Honor Senior Citizens

On Nov. 21 at 6 p.m., the Watts Neighborhood Council will host a black and white gala to honor outstanding seniors in its community at the Watts Senior Citizen Center, 1657 E. Century Blvd., Los Angeles.

Many dignitaries have been invited to offer well wishes to the honorees, including Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, L.A. City Councilwoman Janice Hahn, Congresswoman Maxine Waters and L.A. County Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas.

Information: Henry Broomfield, (323) 563-9744.

Harvest Church to Present Crusade

Los Angeles Harvest Church will present the Wildfire Evangelism Crusade 2009, Nov. 18 to 20, 7 p.m., nightly.

The event will feature worship, sermons and prayer. Speakers will include Tony Wallace and church pastors Ron and Irma Lynese Black. Harvest Church is at 3010 W. 48th St., Los Angeles.

Information: (323) 290-1100.

Gold Line Offers Free Rides, Festivities to Celebrate Opening         

Free rides from one end of the Gold Line to the other have been slated for Nov. 15 from the beginning of service to the end of service.

The celebration of the Edward R. Roybal Metro Gold Line Eastside Extension will include several events along the alignment, which travels from Pasadena to East Los Angeles.

Celebrations will take place at four locations: the East LA Civic Center Station; Mariachi Plaza; Little Tokyo/Arts District; and Union Station.

The various festivities will take place from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.