April 2023 marks two years since the purchase of WEHOville from KF Media Corp, who had acquired this community platform from its founder, Hank Scott, six months prior.
It’s been a learning curve filled with highs and lows. I never meant to be the “one” running this publication. I’m partially sighted and legally blind, so every one of my ideas needs a partner. Two years ago, Brandon Garcia took on the challenge of being this publication’s editor. Together, we weathered the storm and overcame obstacles thrown in our way. We absorbed, learned, took our hits, and got back up to fight another day for West Hollywood — to provide a platform for your voice and do the best we can.
Thank you to the many residents and writers who have offered their talents, knowledge, expertise, craft, and opinions in these pages. Thank you for your wisdom and participation. The issues drive the narrative, and we have no agenda. Everybody is welcome to help make this a better platform for all.
Each member of the board of directors dedicates their time without compensation and has worked to keep this community platform alive. Today, there are many partners with vested interests in keeping WEHOville strong.
We do our best to monitor the comments. You can’t scream “fuck you” at city council members on WEHOville, but you can do that from the public comment podium at the city council meeting. Just sayin’. Just sayin’.Our rules are tighter than what is allowed at the city council meeting, but we do monitor the board, and when something is inappropriate, we take remedial action.
You have probably noticed some changes to the platform over the past two weeks. Please bear with us. Our goal is not pennies for pop-up ads, but your user experience.
Thank you to the hundreds of subscribers who provide a base of support each month, community sponsors, and advertisers, including the West Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, Pink Dot, Micky’s, The Woods and Urbn Leaf, Athens Services, Springboard Hospitality, Sotheby’s, Keith Kaplan, AIDS Project Los Angeles, Jewish Family Services, AIDS Healthcare, Afriat Consulting, Sunny Honey, Farmers Insurance, Robust Real Estate, Michael Collins, Hamburger Mary’s, Z-pizza, and many more.
Thanks to the more than 10,000 loyal readers of our Sunday email blast. The next month will bring new updates to our platform.
This past Friday, we shook hands with a new partner who will oversee the site’s layout, ad delivery, overall appearance, and reach. Our reader metrics are super strong. The average WEHOville viewer spends over 2 minutes and 40 seconds per session. Two other local online publications have an average viewer session of less than 38 seconds. People read WEHOville and glance at the others.
Yet, we are still chasing control of our Facebook page, which is still in the hands of Henry Scott. We were granted access and promised control, but the founder kept a spare set of keys and never yielded control. It’s been a hardship. In the next few weeks, we will be forced to abandon our original Facebook page and gravitate to a new page, WEHOville News. Perhaps you can help. WEHOville’s Facebook page is legally the property of Boystown Media, a West Hollywood corporation. It is not the property of Henry Scott or WHMC as stated on the Facebook page. Report the page to Facebook.
I’m excited to let the team implement their ideas and work with them on the results. I’m excited to take the next couple of months contributing more and managing less. But I promise you’re all in good hands. This morning I was driving on Santa Monica thinking of titles. WEHOville – 2 years later.
Then I thought of Brandon and tears filled my eyes. It’s been hard. Then a song came to my head. ‘Looks like we made it’ by Barry Manilow. Could not have done it without Brandon. Brandon Garcia deserves a standing ovation for an incredible effort to bring us all the way home.
And Bran.. One day can you teach me how to post photos and do a story on my own?
Thanks Brandon and Larry for opening up this platform to the people and honoring diversity of opinion. And thank you everyone who has contributed their stories, experiences and comments, especially those who suffered retaliation, we are all better for it.
A lot of people say they talk truth to power but nobody comes close to doing what Larry’s doing. He puts his time, his money, his reputation, his friendships and his peace of mind on the line every day so that WeHoans have the unfiltered truth, rather than the pretty pictures city leadership wants us to take at face value. And he gives the rest of us the courage and the channel to voice dissent, too.
Thanks for sharing that Brandon, and applause to you, too. There is a very famous statement put out by the Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin – Madison (my alma mater) in 1894. The statement is known as the sifting and winnowing statement, and was issued in defense of academic freedom. I think the statement is apt in all we do in life, it reads: “Whatever may be the limitations which trammel inquiry elsewhere, we believe that the great state University of Wisconsin should ever encourage that continual and fearless sifting and winnowing by which alone the truth can be found.” Let’s all learn to… Read more »
Happy Anniversary, you’re doing a great job providing a very valuable resource for our community. Especially the comments section, where the voiceless can express themselves. I hope you can do more pieces on corrupt people in town. No doubt, Wehoville has made a difference. The corrupt fear Wehoville, and that’s a good thing.
Means a lot, thank you!
Happy Anniversary. Hats off to Brandon.
Are you trying a new commenting platform?
Hey thank you Joshua!
Is the media fund your investor?
Take a break Larry, then run again. We need somebody in Lauren Meister’s ilk of community serving residents.
It takes 3 votes to get into the sensible lane. The key is sensitivity & responsibility to Public Service without any thought or consideration about rewards or acknowledgements. Not seeking a crown on your head, name on the wall or building and doing it because it solves a problem, improves life or a situation for others. You will feel infinitely better for the task.
I’ve never enjoyed Wehoville more or treasured it as much as today. Thank you for a grand effort and job well done. I’m cery disappointed in Hank, used to have a great deal of respect for him but he showed his true colors.
Awesome words of encouragement, thank you
Congratulations on a great two years!
Love having you on Team WEHOville Linda!
It’s great working with you!
Congratulations Larry and Brandon! And thank you for your invaluable service and a job well done.
Thank you Leslie!
Thanks to Larry and Brandon we continue to have a robust town square where discussions and debates occur every day. Discourse is not always pretty, nor does it have to be, but we must always celebrate the free exchange of ideas, even those we find objectionable. The First Amendment demands NOTHING LESS! One sign of success is when the political establishment attempts, in trumpian fashion, to dismiss the importance, legitimacy, and validity of this space and those who contribute to it–even those who ensconce themselves in anonymity! On that measure, you far exceed goals and expectations! Bravo!
Thank you, Alan! WEHOville thrives because readers like you believe in it!