Update: a court order AND a cease-and-desist order have stopped the LAUSD's demolition of houses on site 9A -- at least for the moment. The temporary restraining order issued yesterday morning at 11 a.m. covers the next 30 days, pending the outcome of the lawsuit filed many months ago by the Right Site Coalition. On top of that, a city agency, Building and Safety, issued a cease-and-desist work order because the demolition was being carried out in an unsafe manner. Apparently, there was no tape put up to keep pedestrians out of the demo zone; there were no cones; the bulldozers were racing around, doing illegal U-turns in the not-closed street. A friend who witnessed the scene said it looked like the big-rig Grand Prix: Your choice of being run over by a big rig or Bob Cat. Perhaps the construction crew were in some kind of big hurry? Or do they always do it this way?

At a meeting at Rosemont Elementary School concerning the demolition last night, LAUSD had to explain to 9A project supporters (who think Mohawk/St. Ynez/Alvarado is just the right place for a new school) why the demolition had stopped. Well, there was this unresolved lawsuit, and we didn't think....etc. etc."

Photo: St. Ynez Street, Monday, July 30, 2007.