This story began a while back…. and just keeps playing out.
A few months ago I received an email from a neighborhood watch captain.
I would like to invite you to a fun event that can also help the city we love. ThriveLA Happy Hour WeHo Edition is the first event this organization has held in our city, and I was happy to help make it happen. ThriveLA is an organization dedicated to electing the kind of common-sense leaders who put residents first, prioritize public safety, and support local businesses. 2026 is not that far away. Control of Council is on the ballot next year.
Is that the role of a Neighborhood Watch Captain? Control of the City Council?
The real argument has played out for over a year, the burnt feelings from the 2024 election season when the Gardner watch captain George Nickle ran for City Council. The National Night Out event became a tug of war over bike lanes on Fountain. Nickle would use that neighborhood watch group mailing list for his campaign. Then Public Safety Commissioner Tod Hallman penned an op-ed in Weho Times accusing George Nickle, and Steve Martin, among others of excluding him from the neighborhood watch meetings. Hallman resigned, he was the only person of color among the group.
Just a few months ago the ongoing bro-ha-ha continued to brew behind the scenes and at various city council meetings. It concluded in May with the city council adopting new rules for elected or appointed officials. On May 22nd ‘Civility in Meetings was addressed by the city council. We reported it here: https://wehoonline.com/civility-public-meetings-addressed-amid-resident-concerns/
Public records show that that both George Nickle and Andrew Solomon were contacted by the city attorney and city clerk and reprimanded for their behavior. Nickle declined comment. Solomon owned up. The city attorney and city clerk took the unusual step of contacting the direct appointees of two council members to tell them to ‘reel it in’ prior to passing those new rules for elected and appointed officials. Nickle had taken to social media calling Planning Commissioner Solomon a ‘Straight Texas homeowner.’ https://wehoonline.com/george-nickle-attacks-andrew-soloman-straight-texas-homeowner/
Council member Erickson was not wrong in questioning the veracity of the eastside watch group. He was consistent in bringing up the issues to the Ethics Task Force at an earlier meeting. During the April 5th City Council meeting Erickson again questioned the veracity of what is a neighborhood watch group, was it a political, or is it for the neighborhood. At that April 5th City Council meeting, an argument developed in real time between Erickson and Nickle. It came out of nowhere after a public comment by Former Public Safety Commissioner Tod Hallman who spoke about a development on Detroit. Hallman’s was concerned over the noise in the mornings.
Erickson replied to Hallman asking if the neighborhood watch group could be helpful and said he was not sure anymore if there was one. George Nickle was not present at the meeting. But he ran down for the last public comment of the evening.
“Sorry I don’t have anything prepared, but I was watching from home and just wanted to come and correct something. Council member Erickson, you said that we no longer had a watch group on the East Side. I founded my neighborhood watch group seven years ago.
Erickson — not one to back down, replied: “Let me correct the record. The East Side neighborhood watch group was started by Ruth Williams and I have the emails to prove it. I hope and pray that in the future, when history is re-created, the truth matters. Let’s deal with truth and integrity instead of lies and maliciousness.”
I reached out to both parties for their backup. Erickson produced email correspondence between himself and Ruth Williams to validate his claim. Nickle did not reply to substantiate his claims. Erickson produced an email from Ruth Williams to then city hall employee John Erickson introducing the two. Erickson generously offered to meet George for coffee and show him the ropes. But the blood was drawn when Nickle used the Gardner Eastside Neighborhood Watch Group mailing list for his own campaign and for the campaign against Bike Lanes.
There is a difference between a Neighborhood Watch Group and a non-political residents association such as the West Hollywood West Residents Association. The West Hollywood West Residents Association conducts an ice cream social for their residents to ask questions but they do not endorse candidates. And most of all they do not give out their mailing list for political purposes. So let’s just set the record straight. West Hollywood’s Neighborhood Watch Groups should be non-political.
Why is anyone surprised at the fact that a group of neighborhood narks would come out in support of MAGA fascists for political office❓
Wow.
Just wow.
When Erickson uses words like ‘malicious’, you know he’s about to start assassinating someone’s character.
“Civility in public meetings”?? Who are you kidding? Erickson is as civil as Trump. Disgustingly cynical, engaging in personal attacks against regular citizens.
Shame on you, Larry, for picking up on Erickson’s personal attacks and ugly theatrics and spreading it around like more of his fertilizer.
Forty Years of National Nights Out. I never went. I dislike crowds and mingling. I also suspect it’s a great time for criminals to ply their trade .And the post mortems online are never quite the euphoric recalls I expected. And this year NNO was a perfect way for ICE and Donald’s storm troopers to mix and mingle and invade OUR personal space; listening for foreign languages and suspicious accents to intimidate residents. Sometimes I really DO think that WeHo is the set of The Little Rascals having a shoe…after forty years I sort imagined the Darlas and Spankeys would… Read more »
Larry – why was my comment not approved? There was nothing personal in it?
I dont know why it was in spam but found it and posted.
What I’ve heard is that more times than not, residents complain or share their support for various things that come before the city to their neighborhood watch representatives. The neighborhood watch captains relay the consensus of the neighborhood to the council often taking their time to write letters or speak at council meetings. Most residents don’t take the time to write their own letters or show up at meetings (most say it’s become a clown show).
To be honest, the neighborhood associations are all bullshit. When the city council is only there to push forward their own political careers, there is nothing to be accomplished. The weho city government is so corrupt in so many ways, unless it is wiped clean in the next election, there is no hope for our dying city. And it is dying daily. Closed shops and restaurants everywhere. No tourists this summer. Where is the local government and the chamber of commerce with their plans to help develop local businesses as well as to clean up the empty giant city lots… Read more »
The three children were funded by Local 11. How they have millions of dollars when their membership is entirely underpaid hotel laborers is beyond me – unless – could it be? – they’re being supported by the developers as their stooges? How did Erickson and Hang get elected with some 8,000 votes cast for each, yet there were NO applications to be their appointees to city commissions and boards? Did all of those 8,000 people vote based on mailers (bought and paid for by that same labor Union)? And who’s buying advertising in WeHoOnline? Certainly it can’t operate without revenue;… Read more »
I have a hard time believing that John Erickson is right about anything.
me too.
Your prejudices know no bounds, then.
I am a seasoned member of the board if West Hollywood west residents association. All residents (owners, renters) are welcome to participate in our meetings and to get into our email list. WHWRA includes all residences south of Melsrose, north of Beverly, west of La Cienega, and east of Doheny.
Email your contact information (including your street address) to WHWRA90048@gmail.com to get on our list!
If all this is true George Nickle should move aside and give other residents the opportunity to serve without bias.
George Nicole and company are responsible for the death of Blake Ackerman. He should resign from the Public Safety Commission.
Everybody is using their positions as stepping stones. It’s disgusting