Charges Filed Over Tree-Killing Tropicana Supergraphic
Friday, January 30, 2009, by Dakota
Even after city officials held a press conference Wednesday in front of an illegal supergraphic at 10801 National Boulevard, the building's owner didn't adhere to last night's midnight deadline to remove the sign, prompting City Attorney Rocky Delgadillo to file multiple criminal charges against sign company World Wide Rush, building owner National Investment Company, and eight individuals. As of 4pm today, the sign was still up, according to a spokesperson for Delgadillo. And how about this: According to a press release from Delgadillo's office, the city is "also investigating the illegal chopping down of several trees located on state property in front of the illegal Tropicana Juice sign." Were the trees removed to allow workers to put up the sign, which is located right off the 10 freeway? Worse than that. "We think the trees were removed to clear a line of sight to the sign," the spokesperson tells us. Reading that Thursday LA Times story on the graphic, it seemed like there was a chance the sign might come down. "A lawyer for the company said the supergraphic would be come down Friday, but only because it was scheduled to come down that day. Attorney Joe Agapay said National Investment had not received an order to remove a second supergraphic on the building."============================
UPDATE AS OF SATURDAY, JANUARY 31, 2009
As of today Sat. 1/31/09, no action has bee taken to bring down the sign. The defiance by the owner, FRANK RAHBAN in the face of criminal charges is unreal.
We can only speculate for Frankie's bandits that the windfall of revenue from this criminal act will exceed any repercussions that the law can hand down.
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ReplyDeleteTo Omar
ReplyDeleteso basically you are saying it's ok to break the law and endanger lives because the economy is bad. I don't know what country you are from "Omar" but once your English gets better, you may be able to understand the American laws. Until then I suggest some ESL classes.
You make some fine points and it's important to see things from your adversary's position, but I don't think you understand the overall issue as it pertains to this blog at this point.
ReplyDeleteInitially, the strategy of this blog was to find a way to take down our sign and keep it down. We did not want this on our building and we explored three options -- safety, environment, and tenant rights.
Out of the three, we focused on the safety issue first. If this was a fire hazard, we felt we would prevail.
Now that this fact has come to fruition, we are less motivated to discuss issues you mentioned -- Owner's rights, Politics and the Economy. Are these important topics - you bet.
What ties in better with our story at this time are the illegal supergraphics' that put folks in danger. I hope we can all agree, that if the fire dept. defines a sign illegal on the basis of safety, then it should be removed.
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ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteOmar A-
ReplyDeleteThe material of the sign has passed the State Fire Marshal's test and deemed fire resistant. See Letter and Documentation from the Owner (http://10801takesigndown.blogspot.com/2009/01/letter-and-documents-from-owners.html)
So to respond to a few of your questions, although it has passed the State Fire Marshal's Test, it's still ruled a fire hazard and therefore illegal. FIRE HAZARD, ILLEGAL, DANGEROUS -- NEEDS TO BE REMOVED.
Omar -- this is what I suggest you do. Contact your local Fire Chief and tell him you have a 5000 pound vinyl sign that is fire resistant, and you want to cover your entire 6 story building - including all the windows. Trust in the heavens, their response won't be 2 thumbs up.
As far as your comment regarding "high school response" -- I would say that some high school kids out there make a lot more sense than you.
...Well of course it's not my sign or my building, that's just a figure of speech -- and what does that have to do with the price of eggs.
One last thing... if you feel foolish making comments here, I suggest you submit your 2009 advanced mind-expanding thought processes to the latest Scientific Journal of Safe Supergraphics'.