Scorched earth -- in seven places. You can find it in front of the Angelus Temple, on the public sidewalk. Fresh, bare dirt and orange cones (why the cones?) where there were huge ficus trees (seven of them), which had been planted in the 1970s and which provided shade and oxygen. The Foursquare Church's motivation in ripping them out? Maybe the church got frustrated because it wants to raze the apartments it owns and put in a parking structure and has been stalled in those efforts. So the trees had to go! Who knows really?

In fact, Chicken Corner did hear that the church purchased full-grown palms of some variety. Probably thought they would look groovier than ficus. But word is the church won't be able to plant those palms in front of the building because they broke the law in tearing out shade trees -- without a permit -- and so they will have to replace the trees they killed with specimens of urban-forestry-approved shade-and-oxygen-creating variety. Not palms.

Coming soon: saplings in front of Foursquare.

***************

A constructive approach to demolitions: Tonight, the neighborhood council will hold a special meeting to consider the spate of teardowns in Echo Park and surrounding communities.

Stop the unpermitted deconstructivists who think they can act with impunity. Or at least consider the rules of engagement.

Planning and land use meeting: Thursday, May 3, 2007; Logan Street Elementary School, Auditorium, 6:30 PM; 1711 Montana St. (behind Walgreens), Los Angeles, CA 90026.

Speaking of scorched earth, the Downtown News editorializes on the LAUSD's big foot behavior with regard to communities. Story makes reference to the 9A situation in Echo Park, deploring the district's bully tactics.