LONG BEACH (CBS) — CBS2 is getting a sneak peak of the new penguin exhibit at the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach.

The $1.5 million June Keyes Penguin Habitat will feature Magellanic penguins, some of which were rescued from Brazil where they were stranded outside their native habitat.

The penguins will join the Aquarium’s collection of more than 11,000 animals in the institution’s fifty exhibits.

The permanent exhibit opens to the public Thursday, May 17, at 9 a.m.

The Venice Neighborhood Council on Tuesday night voted in favor of a proposal by a Canadian-based company to install a 720-foot zip line ride this summer on Venice Beach.

The proposal was introduced by Los Angeles City Councilman Bill Rosendahl, who was greeted by a chorus singing "Happy Birthday" as he entered the auditorium. Rosendahl, who turned 67, blew out the candles and then gave the audience of about 40 people at Westminster Avenue Elementary School an update on Venice issues ranging from upcoming helmets for youths at the Venice Beach skate park to the cleanup of 3rd Avenue to Google and Gold's Gym.

Rosendahl introduced the zip line proposal by saying he recognized the community's objections to an earlier plan for a 175-foot Ferris wheel that a United Kingdom-based company wanted to quickly erect this summer on Windward Plaza. The councilman was presented with the zip line plan by Kevin Regan, assistant manager of the city's Department of Recreation and Parks, and he liked the idea.

Rosendahl noted how one of the many conditions attached to the proposal included a pledge that two-thirds of gross revenues be spent on Venice Beach to pay for maintenance and enhanced services, such as emptying garbage cans and improving the public restrooms.

The council's board voted 8-6 with three abstentions in favor of the proposal.

Plans call for the zip line to be up and running July 1 with a three-month permit for ride operator Greenheart Conservation Company. The zip line's higher, 50-foot tower will be placed between the bike path and the boardwalk near the skate park and its lower, 24-foot tower will be installed at Windward Plaza, just before the basketball courts.

The 15 public speakers at the meeting were practically split. Those opposed to it had issues that included public safety, over-commercialization of the beach, the potential loss of income for street performers and concerns over aesthetics and screaming.

Jay Goodfader, whose family owns the Sidewalk Cafe restaurant on the boardwalk and its adjacent Small World Books, voiced his support for the attraction that would be installed in front of the restaurant and was joined by Clabe Hartley, owner of the Cow's End coffee and sandwich shop on Washington Boulevard, who previously opposed the "Great Observation Wheel" proposal.

Other supporters said the ride fit the spirit and character of Venice, while others liked how it would encourage the arts and the use of public transportation and bike-riding.

Ian Green, president of Greenheart Conservation Company, said the attraction would have three main components: the ride itself, once-a-month special performances and a sliding-scale educational component for children with activities ranging from acro-yoga to dance to juggling. Board members and the public were shown a video sans audio of a 2011 Burning Man performance incorporating the attraction to get an idea of the type of performance possible.

Canadian-born Dream Rockwell, who lives in Venice, said that she would help to produce the children's programs and performance aspects of the proposal. Rockwell is the director of the Lucent Dossier Experience, a quasi-steampunk, avante-garde circus troupe, and has a background directing music videos and rock tours. She also is the founder of Cuddle the World, an organization that provides teddy bears to needy children around the world.

Alicia Schultze, also a Venice resident, said the performances would be "nature-based entertainment" and would be a combination of performance and public participation. Schultze specializes in aerial performances and has performed on tour with rock legends Motley Crue.

Rides will cost $20 and the operating hours will be 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. for children's educational programs and 11 a.m. to sunset for the general public. Each ride will last less than a minute.

The city's parks department is mandated to self-generate $30 to $40 million of its annual $185 million budget and Venice Beach, which attracts roughly 16 million visitors a year, has become a draw for private ride operators willing to split revenue with the city.

The community input process included two subcommitee meetings before a motion was forwarded by the council's Visitor Impact Committee for consideration, Regan said after the vote. The next step was finishing negotiations with Greenheart and issuing the temporary event permit for the attraction. The zip line ride was being compared to the American Ninja Warrior set recently constructed on Windward Plaza and Regan said it was believed that California Coastal Commission approval wasn't needed, but that he would follow up. City Council approval is not required since it's a temporary event permit.

One of the conditions approved by the Venice Neighborhood Council stated that the attraction must be dismantled at the end of the three-month trial period and another said that any permanent installation would be subject to environmental review by the city and the California Coastal Commission.

Registration is now open for the Beverly Hills Summer Academy, which offers K-12 students enrichment courses in academics, arts and athletics.

Proceeds from the summer academy go toward the Beverly Hills Education Foundation, a nonprofit that helps fund extracurricular programs and staff members at all five city schools. To make the summer courses a success, the BHEF works hand-in-hand with Beverly Hills Unified School District principals and officials.

Summer courses for K-8 students are held at El Rodeo School with more than 35 classes offered.

"We have developed a roster of classes that will engage students in core academic subjects such as math, science and English in fun, creative ways," said Kevin Painter, who heads the K-8 program. "There are several visual arts, performing arts and sports classes to choose from. We are even offering a cooking class, Grand Gourmets, which will be taught by Chef Darrell Smith, a finalist on The Next Food Network Star."

Courses for grades 9-12 are held at Beverly Hills High School and provide students the chance to earn credits over the summer. Ten-credit classes include Photography, Geometry, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, United States History 5-6 and World History/Geography 1-2. Five-credit classes include Creative Writing, Health, Trigonometry, Refresher Algebra and Thinking in Python.

College prep workshops to give students a head start on the admissions process will also be offered: one-week ACT and SAT Prep Courses, ACT and SAT Practice Exams, and a workshop on Writing College Application Personal Statements.

"The College Essay workshop is a fantastic opportunity for rising seniors to finish writing at least one essay for their college applications over the summer," said John Borsum, who is heading the high school summer courses. 

Non-BHUSD students are welcome to sign up for the Beverly Hills Summer Academy. To view course descriptions and to register, click here.

For more information, call 310-557-1625 or email tracy@bhsummer.org.

Be sure to follow Beverly Hills Patch on Twitter and "Like" us on Facebook.

Around 6,000 kids, teachers and volunteers are expected to participate in the creation of a giant aerial art formation for this year’s Kids Ocean Day on Dockweiler Beach in California. As part of a one-day event of environmental education and activity, students will cluster to form a shark holding a giant shield with the words “DEFEND THE SEA.” The inspiring activity has been redesigned and reinterpreted by the group for several years running as part of the Ocean Day activities on the beach, which includes a large-scale trash clean-up operation. Previous creations have included the phrases “Kelp Us,” “Save our Ocean” and “Sustain Life.” The Kids Ocean Day aerial art design is meant to inspire residents and bring attention to litter’s harmful impact on our coastline and marine life. This year’s event is hosted by the Malibu Foundation and sponsored by the City of Los Angeles Stormwater Program and the California Coastal Commission, and will take place on June 7.

+ Kids Ocean Day

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Mothers will ride free all day long on Mother's Day on the Ferris wheel at Pacific Park, on the Santa Monica Pier.

Moms get the great deal starting with the first revolution at 11 a.m. and ending when the attraction closes for the night at 9 p.m. Its 160,000 LED computer generated lights will feature an evening-long display of Mother's Day colors and patterns in pink, yellow and turquoise.

The nine-story-high wheel sits at the end of the historic pier, and gives riders a spectacular view from Avalon to Point Dume on clear days. The gentle ride tops out 130 feet above the frothy brine.

RELATED: WELCOME TO THE FERRIS WHEEL LIGHT SHOW

Other Mother's Day events in the Los Angeles area Sunday include what is being billed as the "largest Mother's Day celebration in the world" and a show of support for breast cancer research at Dodger Stadium.

More than 1,000 people representing families of four and five generations will gather with their mothers, grandmothers, great-grandmothers and some great-great-grandmothers at the Los Angeles Jewish Home in Reseda, organizers said.

Two Jewish Home residents over age 100 will speak, representing all Jewish Home residents and its 36 centenarians.

For the seventh consecutive year, Major League Baseball will use Mother's Day to generate awareness about breast cancer and raise funds to fight
the disease.

The Dodgers will wear pink ribbon decals on their uniforms for their game against the Colorado Rockies at Dodger Stadium. Some players will use pink bats that will be auctioned on Major League Baseball's website, MLB.com, to benefit cancer research.

Lisa Nevolo-Lewis, a four-year breast cancer survivor from Los Angeles, will be the honorary bat girl, part of a nationwide campaign to recognize baseball fans who have been affected by breast cancer and demonstrated a commitment to fighting the disease. She will start the game by announcing "It's time for Dodger baseball."

Additionally, players' mothers will throw out a ceremonial first pitchto their sons, mothers will be chosen from the crowd to take the field before
the game and a Mother's Day ``Walk in the Park'' will follow the game.

The average adult celebrating Mother's Day is expected to spend $152.52 on activities, gifts and cards, up from $140.73 in 2011 and $126.60 in 2010, according to the National Retail Federation's Mother's Day consumer spending
survey.

Total spending is expected to reach $18.6 billion, compared to $16.3 billion in 2011 and $14.6 billion in 2010.

"Despite grappling with high gas prices, Americans will look forsentimental and unique ways to shower mom with affection this year," said National Retail Federation President and Chief Executive Officer Matthew Shay.

Of the 8,724 adults polled, 86.5 percent said they planned on celebrating Mother's Day. Nearly two-thirds, 66.7 percent of those celebrating, said they would buy flowers, 54.3 percent said they would treat mother to a brunch or dinner and 32.8 percent said they would buy clothing or accessories.

The survey conducted by BIGresearch between April 3-10 has a margin of error of plus or minus 1 percent.

In his Mother's Day proclamation, President Barack Obama called mothers "cornerstones of our families and our communities."

"Through their example, our children learn the principles of  hard work, compassion, service and personal responsibility," Obama wrote. "Through their encouragement and unconditional support, they instill confidence and values to vital to our children's success."

Mother's Day was initially proposed in 1870 by activist-poet Julia Ward Howe as a call for peace and disarmament. It was celebrated in 18 cities in 1873, continued for about another 10 years in Boston under Howe's backing, then died out.

The second attempt to establish Mother's Day began on May 9, 1907, the second anniversary of the death of Anna Jarvis' mother Ann. She invited several friends to her home in Philadelphia in commemoration of her mother's life, which included providing nursing care and promoting better sanitation during the Civil War, helping save lives on both sides.

Jarvis announced to her friends her idea of a day of national celebration in honor of mothers, which was first celebrated on May 10, 1908 at the Andrews Methodist Episcopal Church in Grafton, W.V. where Ann Jarvis worshipped. The church is now known as the International Mother's Day Shrine.

West Virginia Gov. William E. Glasscock issued the first Mother's Day proclamation in 1910. By 1911, it was celebrated in nearly every state. President Woodrow Wilson signed a congressional joint resolution in 1914 designating the second Sunday in May as Mother's Day nationally.

A 19th century replica tall ship will be arriving in Marina del Rey on Tuesday in anticipation of the Marina Fest on May 19 and 20.

The “Bill of Rights” resembles an 1856 gaff topsail schooner, and was built in South Bristol, Maine by Harvey F. Gamage in 1971. It is the first tall ship in six years to sail through Marina del Rey, and it led the Bicentennial Celebration Tall Ship Parade into New York Harbor in 1976. 

It’s first stop will be Wednesday at the Del Rey Yacht Club, for tours by club members in the morning and then the public throughout the rest of the day. The Bill of Rights then moves to Fisherman’s Village, where it remains throughout the end of the Marina Fest.

On May 17 and 18, the tall ship will take youth organizations on educational sailing outings, and then will take visitors on sunset sails and deck tours on the festival weekend.

The Del Rey Yacht Club will provide boat transport from the festival to the Bill of Rights.

The BIll of Rights is 137 feet long and weights 98 tons. Its two masts, carrying six sails, reach 115 feet into the air.

To learn more about the Bill of Rights and other tall ships, visit www.americantallship.org

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Nike Basketball Camps is expanding its program to St. Bernard High School in Playa del Rey this summer.

Two summer sessions taught by coach Ed Azzam and Reggie Morris will be offered for boys and girls. Each player will be placed on a team consisting of no more than 10 players.

Azzam is the head basketball coach at Westchester High School.

"There has never been a lack of basketball talent in the Los Angeles area, our goal is to combine this talent with great coaches and produce better players," said VP of Basketball Operations Brent Koonce in a statement. "Coach Azzam understands how to develop young players as well as anyone, we are very excited to be working with him at these new premier Southern California basketball camps." 

Registration costs are $195, and the two sessions run from either 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. or 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.

For more information, visit the Nike Basketball Camp website.

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SATURDAY, MAY 19, 11AM – 6PM AT CLOVER PARK

Celebrating the Connection Between the City’s Communities,
Culture, Businesses, Environment and Art

 Featuring Music & Dance,Sustainable Workshops, Food Trucks, Cooking Demos, Community Resources,…

Time:May 19, 2012 from 11am to 6pm
Location:Clover Park
Street:2600 Ocean Park Blvd
City/Town:Santa Monica
Website or Map:http://www.facebook.com/Santa…
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Summer is almost here and there are a slew of camps available for local Culver City kids. But how do you choose which one?

Well, if your child has a penchant for tumbling, cartwheeling and leaping, then maybe a gymnastics camp is the way to go.

Find out if you and your kids are interested in a gymnastic summer camp when The Los Angeles School of Gymnastics at 8450 Higuera St., opens its doors on Sun. May 20 from 1–3 p.m. for the school’s annual Summer Camp Open House.

The free event will allow visitors to tour the facility, meet the instructors, sample camp activities, win freebies and even meet and greet members of the USA National Team: Heather Chan, Shirley Gon-Gibbs and Elizabeth Petrosyan, who will perform on site. 

The 2012 summer camp program will run from June 18 – Sep. 7.

“Our goal is to offer a healthy summer camp for children, which will get them away from videogames, computers, phones and right into physical activity,” Tanya Berenson, the school’s general manager stated in a release. 

Among the facilities available at the largest gymnastics facility in California are the three 3,000-foot spring tumbling floors, full-size trampolines, multiple beam bar stations, spotting belts and a foam filled pit.

The facility also offers camp activities beyond gymnastics, including hip-hop with world-renowned dance instructors from UCLA, yoga, swimming and rock-climbing.

“Whether your child is interested in gymnastics for fun, recreation or has high ambitions in the sport, we provide an educational, healthy, safe and professional environment for the kids,” Berenson said.

Be sure to like Culver City Patch on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.  

Festival highlights include performances by Dustbowl Revival, La Santa Cecilia, Lux Aeterna and Vaud & The Villains, fitness classes, eco-friendly workshops and a Santa Monica Farmers Market “Chef Challenge” cooking competition.

In addition, festival attendees can learn about recreational classes offered by the City and how to incorporate fitness into everyday life, watch cooking demonstrations and discover local resources offered by a variety of Santa Monica, environmental and local non-profit organizations.

“The City proudly presents this annual festival to celebrate and showcase the unique and progressive programs, businesses, culture and environmental initiatives of Santa Monica,” says Allison Ostrovsky, Cultural Affairs Supervisor for the City of Santa Monica.

The festival is presented by the City of Santa Monica Cultural Affairs Division, Community and Cultural Services Department, and Office of Sustainability and the Environment (OSE) and is produced by Community Arts Resources (CARS).

Event Highlights Include:

OCEAN STAGE: Diverse music and dance performances including Venice-based jazz collective Dustbowl Revival, merging old school bluegrass, gospel, jug band and swing, the South American rhythms of La Santa Cecilia combining cumbia and bossa nova with Afro-Cuban percussion, rock and jazz, LA’s premiere dance-theater company Lux Aeterna, combining urban dance and circus theater, and 19-piece New Orleans orchestra and cabaret band Vaud & the Villains. The stage will be hosted by Natalie J. Forte, who is producer and co-host of Be Green, Santa Monica CityTV’s Emmy nominated eco-friendly show and the popular lifestyle show Get Out!.

FOOD SALON: A culinary stage with a chef challenge, cooking demos, and cookbook workshop focusing on how to cook sustainable and affordable meals using Farmers Market produce, as well as ways to incorporate Santa Monica’s adoption of the “Meatless Monday” movement. The culinary stage includes a new addition this year, the Santa Monica Farmers Market “Chef Challenge” cooking competition featuring Nyesha Arrington, executive chef at The Wilshire and contestant on Bravo’s Top Chef Season 9 and John-Carlos Kuramoto, executive chef at Michael’s. They will face off to create dishes that are quick, easy and affordable using Santa Monica Farmers Market ingredients. Cooking demos will be offered for both adults and children. Attendees can also select from over fifty healthy recipes from Santa Monica chefs and design their own cookbook.

FOOD TRUCKS & CARTS: Over a dozen food trucks and carts will serve a variety of healthy fare and tasty treats, including Border Grill, Coolhaus, India Jones, The Bun Truck, Go Chew Truck and Gastrobus. For a complete list visit www.smgov.net/festival.

MARKETPLACE: Guilt-free shopping featuring earth-friendly, artistic wares, jewelry and crafts from top independent, local artists and vendors.
ECO ZONE: Fun, interactive booths and activities promoting environmentally smart solutions for your home, garden and daily living. Sustainable Works will be offering Vermicomposting, Solar Cooking and Non-Toxic Cleaning workshops.

ACTIVE SANTA MONICA: The hub for all things active. Get moving with Zumba, belly dancing, martial arts, gymnastic, and yoga demos throughout the day. Learn about City classes, recreational programs and how to incorporate fitness into everyday life. Active Santa Monica aims to enhance the wellbeing of the Santa Monica community through fitness, recreation and healthy lifestyle choices. A Taste of Summer with the Annenberg Beach House will offer cardboard yacht building and stand-up paddleboard and volleyball demos.
TOWN SQUARE: Meet the people committed to making Santa Monica shine from organizations such as the American Red Cross, Santa Monica Fire Department, The Broad Stage, Santa Monica Convention and Visitor’s Bureau, the Santa Monica Conservancy and many more.

WORKSHOPS: Be inspired and get crafty at one of the many creative workshops. Create spoke cards for your bicycle with the Santa Monica Museum of Art, contribute to an interactive installation with 18th Street Arts Center and make a rocket ship or planet with orbiting objects with the Santa Monica Public Library as part of their Summer Reading theme “Dream Big.”

BIKE ZONE: FREE bike valet is available on 25th Street at Ocean Park Boulevard. Bikers receive a free raffle ticket for participating. Learn do-it yourself bicycle repair, maintenance and safe riding tips from Bikerowave. Santa Monica Spoke will have over 30 bikes on view and will showcase the adaptability of bikes as well as have interactive talks on “bike fit” and education on “confident city cycling.” The City of Santa Monica’s Planning & Community Development and SM Bike Center present a bike rodeo and skill zone where participants of all ages can practice bicycle handling.
ZERO WASTE: The Santa Monica Festival supports the City of Santa Monica’s commitment to sustainability by following zero waste principles to reduce its impact on the environment and community. All electricity used at the event is renewable. Vehicles driven to and from the event are carbon-offset. Zero Waste stations will be set up throughout Clover Park to minimize trash going to the landfill and to maximize recycling and composting. All utensils are either compostable or recyclable. In addition, the Water Resources Division of Santa Monica will supply the festival with chilled water stations and the Westside Food Bank will be selling reusable water bottles for a $2 donation that will provide food to social service agencies in West Los Angeles.

The Santa Monica Festival is free to the public and takes place on Saturday, May 19 from 11am – 6pm in Clover Park, 2600 Ocean Park Blvd., between Cloverfield Boulevard and 28th Street. Parking and bike valet are free.

The Santa Monica Festival is sponsored by Chobani Greek Yogurt, Intelligentsia, Izip, KCRW 89.9 FM, Santa Monica Mirror, Yelp.com, Santa Monica Place, West LA Takeaway, Farm Fresh To You and Local Yocal.

For more information and a complete list of events, please visit www.smgov.net/festival.

Facebook: www.facebook.com/SantaMonicaFestival
Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/SantaMonicaFest

RELATED

1. 21st ANNUAL SANTA MONICA FESTIVAL
2. 21st Annual Santa Monica Festival
3. Santa Monica Festival at Clover Park 5/8

Hello!

We are Venice Arts, a non-profit organization providing free and low-cost multimedia arts programming for youth and adults.  This summer from July 2nd - July 27th, we are holding our third annual Summer Media Arts Summer Camp!

We will be offering week long youth workshops (at our newly renovated gallery space) in filmmaking, script-writing, directing, animation, photography, comics, and multimedia art.

To enroll in our camp for free you must be low-income and provide proof of income on registration day.

If you are not low-income you can still enroll for a small fee of $325 per week.

 
Registration Info & Location:

Saturday, June 23, 2012

10am-3pm

1702 Lincoln Blvd.

Venice, CA 90291

310.578.1745 / 310.392.0846

info@venice-arts.org

Registration is by appointment only, call 310.578.1745 to make your appointment now!  Classes fill up quickly so call today!

 
Learn more by visiting our website.
http://www.venicearts.org

One of our area's vintage cars, spotted in Santa Monica

One of my pleasures of living in the relatively dry SoCal climate is our thriving classic car culture. Part of that culture will be on display this Saturday, as downtown Culver City hosts its “Crusing Back to the 50s“ car show right out on Culver and Washington Blvds. from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. I was there four years ago, and it was loads of fun.

In addition to a selection of over 400 classic cars, expect to see some of the world’s most famous tv show custom cars and their creator, George Barris (Batmobile, Munster Koach, etc.). There will be food, music, and car-related merchandise on hand as well. Oh, and did I mention that admission to the show is free?

The City of Santa Monica’s Cinco de Mayo Festival will be held on Sunday, May 6, noon to 5 p.m. at Virginia Avenue Park.

Enter your alsa recipe in the Homemade Salsa Tasting contest, play Lotería and win prizes, or participate in the Traditional Fashion Contest. Games, rides and crafts for children, too.

On the stage: the salsa music of Bombachanté, the mariachi band Alta California de Carlos Villalobos, and a Folklórico performance by Herencia Mexicana. Master of Ceremonies and performance artist Maria Elena Gaitan will offer interesting and humorous commentary on the historical significance of Cinco de Mayo. Artisan vendors and traditional Mexican foods and treats, too.

Virginia Avenue Park is located at 2200 Virginia Avenue. It’s wheelchair accessible and welcomes persons of all abilities.

A year ago, Westsider Joel Epstein pleaded in the Huffington Post for the reopening of West LA's neighborhood park at Bundy and Santa Monica Blvd.--the green space has been locked up for more than a decade, following the murder of a transient. The area is woefully underserved by parks, so it was nice to see the space reopen for a day--during yesterday's Earth Day, appropriately enough. Epstein spearheaded the effort, which brought out about 20 people and several dogs, through City Councilman Bill Rosendahl's office. Rosendahl's field deputy Len Nguyen says his boss is supportive of reopening the park on a permanent basis, though that means someone would have to open the park every morning and lock it up every night. Nguyen added that community pressure would help move the situation along more quickly, as the LAPD is not supportive of activating the park thanks to the sizable homeless population in the area. One such individual plopped down in the middle of the park and took a nap this weekend, but no one seemed to mind.

· Another Plea to Open West LA's Little Park [Curbed LA]

The plans for a 175-foot tall "Great Observation Wheel" on Windward Plaza needs more vetting, but a proposal to install a zip line that will let people fly over Venice Beach as early as this summer will be presented to the community, Los Angeles City Councilman Bill Rosendahl said Friday.

Rosendahl said he has instructed his staff to work with the Department of Recreation and Parks on the zip line proposal after it became clear that a United Kingdom company's plans for a giant Ferris wheel on Venice Beach needed more vetting.

A zip line would provide another additional element of fun and excitement, Rosendahl said, and could generate revenue this summer to help the city maintain restrooms and garbage cans on Venice Beach, which attracts roughly 16 million visitors a year.

Rosendahl said that he has asked Venice Neighborhood Council President Linda Lucks to put the zip line proposal on the board's May 15 meeting agenda to see how the community feels about it.

"It's two towers and wire across it and they say you fly like a bird," Rosendahl said. "It's a simple enough concept and easy enough to put on."

Rosendahl said he was worried about having basic funds for restroom cleanups and garbage collection on Venice Beach given the city's dire economic situation and was looking for a revenue stream this summer.

"We're in the worse budget situation," Rosendahl said. "No more games to play, no more gimmicks. We are in a tough spot and I want to be able to clean those garbage cans two or three times a day and those bathrooms and that costs money. The city is in a tough spot."

He said that he had not formed an opinion on the "Great Observation Wheel," but noted it is a bigger project with numerous impacts that would require "a lot more vetting."

He asked that the zip line project be placed on the front burner for this summer, while the "Great Observation Wheel" be put on a "burner that requires more time."

Nigel Ward, head of global site Development for UK-based Great City Attractions, said Friday in an email that he had not heard about the developments and declined comment. The group hoped to put up the wheel, which could be installed in 10 days, on Venice Beach this summer.

The proposal was largely met with skepticism at a community meeting and this week's Venice Neighborhood Council meeting.