UPDATED 🔔 What we’re giving thanks for this year

WeHoans have a lot to be thankful for, but these in particular are due for a shoutout of gratitude. UPDATE: I forgot the most important one…

YOU! 

Dear reader, you are the lifeblood of WEHOonline.com! Our news articles are basically just fuel for the truly meaningful content… your comments. WEHOonline is proud to be one of the few forums WeHoans can share their opinions freely and openly without fear of being judged. Your sharp analyses, thoughtful commentary, kind words, brave stances, witty barbs and, yes, your crazy rants all tell the true story of West Hollywood. This is your city, and you are its voice. Don’t ever let the crowd drown you out. In a school cafeteria full of sheep, lemmings and haters, we are thankful we get to sit at the table with the question-askers, the rebels and the mavericks.  

Genevieve Morrill

The CEO of WeHo’s Chamber of Commerce has been fighting on behalf of local businesses for years, but this year, she’s been their knight in shining armor. She often stood alone in leading the charge against new city ordinances that are strangling WeHo’s beloved small businesses, battling stubborn councilmembers when others were afraid to rock the boat. The fight is far from over, but now she’s got an army behind her.

Pickle

That Drag Story hour has become a prime battleground in America’s culture wars is ridiculous, and there’s plenty of blame due on both sides of the partisan divide. Fortunately there still exist adults in the room like Pickle, who got all the crazy protesters at April’s Drag Story Hour to shut the fuck up and think about the kids. Her cool composure and refusal to play politics was genius, and WeHoans should be proud that Pickle, a true diplomat, is now representing us as our first Drag Laureate. 

George Nickle

His very first move as a Public Safety commissioner was a motion to reverse course on City Council’s ill-conceived “defund the sheriff” phase. His fellow commissioners didn’t have the guts or foresight to support him, but Council wised up just a few weeks later and backpedaled on their disastrous move. He has shown he’s not afraid to speak up for common sense at City Council meetings as a member of the public. Rumor has it that he wants to do so as a member of the Council next year.

Scooters

I know you hate them, but it’s really not their fault. The devices themselves are revolutionary — the speed, cost and convenience with which they allow you to travel are unparalleled. If you’ve ever not had access to a car, you’d understand. Irresponsible riders are really fucking it up for everybody. But so are city leaders, whose attempts at regulating them have been so arbitrary (10 mph speed limit), so dangerous (speed throttling), so annoying (never knowing where you can park, scooters bitching at their own riders), so disingenuous (scooter survey) and so utterly scattershot, the only thing they’re accomplishing is pissing everybody off. Particularly…

Mikie Friedman

Whether or not you stand behind her quest to annihilate scooters from existence (or at least from WeHo), you’ve gotta give her credit. With limited mobility and only one arm, this spicy senior citizen rallied disorganized public frustration into a focused effort against the runaway micromobility program all by herself, and she did what practically nobody else has been able to do: force our mayor to the bargaining table. She may not have been able to vanquish scooters entirely, but thanks to her, they’re not running over the rights of residents like they used to be. 

Bike Giveaway Pilot Program

As one of the lucky few selected at random to receive a free bike from the city, I can honestly say this program changed my life. Getting a bike unchained me from my vehicle, expanded my perspective on public transportation and gave me wings to explore and understand WeHo like I never had before. Oh, and I lost about 20 pounds without stepping foot in a gym. (Not surprisingly, I had to replace my free city bike [RIP] when it was stolen, but I still consider this a success story.)

John Reed 

You don’t have to appreciate how perfectly WeHo-esque its Equinox plus Alice in Wonderland vibe is, but you can’t ignore the life John Reed has brought back to one of the most visible and important commercial complexes in the city, which was practically a ghost town before October. 

Renee Sotile

Renee is one of the nicest people you’ll ever meet in WeHo. She takes care of homeless cats, gives us great red-carpet interviews and always tries to do what’s right, even when if it offends the Pharisees. It sucks that certain people felt the need to send such hate her way just because she spoke out against injustice on the city’s advisory boards and (gasp!) contributed columns to this website. We won’t name names, but by rising above the high-pitched screaming and the petty attacks, Renee proved she is truly stronger than steel.

Lauren Meister

Let me just say it: WeHo would be fucked without Lauren Meister. As City Council’s voice of reason, often the lone one, she has pushed back against the crazy (defunding the sheriff), the stupid (unscientific scooter survey) and the shady (rehiring Oscar Delgado) more times than we can count. But exposing the totally un-transparent and unethical hiring process at City Hall showed just how far she would go to serve the best interests of the people who elected her.

Sheriff’s Department

Even when WeHo essentially told the Sheriff’s Department we didn’t need them, they were always there for us. Despite the unwarranted mistrust directed at them from certain folks in power, the sheriffs have dedicated themselves to our safety and treated us like family through thick and thin. Capt. Bill Moulder and his team continue to deliver on the improvements city leaders have asked for, reminding us every day they are worth what the city pays them and much more. 

Rick Chavez Zbur

Our new assemblyman quickly proved he’s the real deal, penning bills that to help vulnerable seniors and keep LGBTQ kids safe, and he’s staying connected to West Hollywood while he busts his butt in Sacramento. Zbur hit the ground running and he’s showing no signs of slowing down.