1. A false alarm clears out the Eastside Trader Joe’s
I was picking up a few things at Trader Joe’s Friday afternoon when the fire alarm went off. Everyone out. Shoppers were walked out of the TJ’s over on the Eastside on Santa Monica Blvd. and into the courtyard, where we stood waiting. There was confusion but no obvious sign anything was wrong. The West Hollywood Fire Department responded. Turns out it was a false alarm. A store employee told me it happens about once a month. The reason: the building’s alarm system is shared with the residential units upstairs. If someone overcooks something in an apartment above the store, everyone in the produce section pays for it. We were back inside in roughly 15 minutes. But seriously, once a month 🫠 That has gotta be annoying.
2. WeHo Bistro Gets Its A Back
We got some good news sent to us from our friends at WeHo Bistro. The popular restaurant has its A grade back. Owner Jeff Douek sent WEHOonline the photo Thursday — a fresh LA County Department of Public Health A card dated June 25 in the window. The restaurant was shut down June 10 after inspectors found cockroaches in the kitchen and bar area. It reopened with a C, the automatic grade on reinspection. Douek had said he expected the A back around this week. He was right.
3. LASD Honors Four Deputies, DA Pays a Visit
Four West Hollywood deputies got some recognition this week. Captain Lapkin presented Hook of the Month awards to Deputies Costales, Wenger, Sciacca, and Vega for proactive policing — going after criminal activity before a call comes in. DA Nathan Hochman also made a stop at the station. He sat down with Lapkin and deputies to talk public safety and how the station and DA’s office work together.
4. Eleven Years of Marriage Equality — and the Numbers Are Slipping
Today is the 11th anniversary of Obergefell v. Hodges, the Supreme Court decision that made same-sex marriage the law of the land. WEHOonline marked the occasion this week with a look at what’s changed — and what’s at risk. Support has dropped from a peak of 71% in 2022-23 to 65% in the most recent Gallup poll. Republican support has fallen from 55% to 37% over the same period. At least nine states have introduced measures urging the Supreme Court to revisit the ruling. The Court turned away a direct challenge earlier this year — but advocates say the door is not closed.
5. World Cup in the Park — This Weekend
The City’s free World Cup fan zone at West Hollywood Park runs through Sunday. Four days of live match screenings, a beer garden, a kids zone with a mini soccer pitch, and food vendors at 647 N. San Vicente Blvd. Today the French Consulate hosts a watch party. Discofoot — the U.S. premiere of the French dance-soccer hybrid — performs tonight at 7 p.m. and twice tomorrow at 1 p.m. and 6 p.m. Seating is first-come, first-served. Bring your own chair. Free to attend. Full schedule at go.weho.org/fanzones. Lime promo code WEHOFANZONE gets you free unlocks through June 30.
Suggestion: When you mention a business or other West Hollywood entity, as you did WeHo Bistro above, you might imbed or add a hyperlink to its website for location and other relevant information. Helpful to both the reader and the establishment, if you have the time and setup for it.
“Douek had said he expected the A back around this week.” Let’s hope he learned his lesson and keeps up with fumigation and keeps the place clean. Your customers demand that. Thanks.