About The Neighborhood News
Established in August of 2008 by writer, artist Dianne V. Lawrence.
The Neighborhood News covers the events, people, history, politics and historic architecture of communities throughout the Mid-City and West Adams area in Los Angeles Council District 10.
TNN was a 24-28 page magazine format, which started as a black and white magazine in 2008 and began including 8 pages of color in the Oct. 2015 issue.
From 2008 to 2018, every two months, we distributed 14,000 copies for free, 11,000 on doorsteps and 3,000 in public outlets in neighborhoods within the borders of Normandie on the east, Fairfax on the west, Olympic on the north and Jefferson on the south.
Starting in 2019 we reduced our print to 8,000 and distributed in 75 public outlets within our borders.
We stopped publishing hardcopies in 2021 but kept our website alive.
This area lies between downtown Los Angeles and Culver City, just north and south of the Santa Monica Freeway (the 10 Freeway).
We distribute Feb/Mar, Apr/May, June/July, Aug/Sept, Oct/Nov, Dec/Jan
West Adams has a rich history and along with Mid City, contains one of the most diverse racial, income and cultural groups in Los Angeles.
At the end of the 20th century, West Adams and the south end of Mid City, had many large historic homes that had either become drug havens or fallen into disrepair as parents grew older and offspring moved away. As the seniors passed on, those who inherited the property quickly sold the homes to upwardly mobile young families or couples. This fact along with the area's central location and proximity to the 10 freeway allowed for convenient access to the beach, downtown and Hollywood, making it an attractive destination for many middle income families looking for large houses at reasonable prices. This new population took restoration to heart and once marginal communities continue to be revitalized. By 2015, gentrification had set in and The Neighborhood News, going strong since 2008, helped to shine a light on this blending of the past and present emerging identity.
The Neighborhood News boundaries include six Neighborhood Councils: United Neighborhoods NC (UNNC), P.I.C.O NC, MId City NC (MINC), Wilshire Center Koreatown NC (WCKNC), Olympic Park NC (OPNC) and West Adams NC (WANC) along with dozens of block clubs and neighborhood associations. We also have the West Adams Heritage Association (WAHA) which has been responsible for preserving the historic integrity of the architecture and the communities in West Adams.
The Staff:
Dianne V. Lawrence is the Creator/Publisher/Editor/Reporter/Salesperson for The Neighborhood News and a resident of Council District 10 since 1979.
She is also an artist click here and published writer click here.
She was an Associate Editor of Real Talk LA (a short lived magazine created by Jay Levin who started the LA Weekly),
an editor-at-large for the art journal Coagula,
a film reviewer for filmmonthly.com click here
She has been published in the LA Weekly
click here
She was a blogger for the Huffington Post click here.
As an animal rights activist and advocate she was responsible for getting a law changed making it illegal to tie your dog up in a back yard as an ongoing lifestyle click here.
As a community activist she recognized it was time to connect local communities and provide them with an opportunity to share information, concerns and good news about their neighborhoods. Her background in sales, art, writing and editing provided her with the skills to quickly pull the magazine together and keep it growing. Because this area is a drive through community with few opportunities for residents to stroll the business corridors, she suspected that local businesses struggled to connect with the residents living around them and was proven correct when she immediately began to get local advertising. Her ability to connect residents and businesses to each other has kept the publication growing from 2008 from 1,500 at the first printing to 2018 at14 -15,000 copies with 12,000 delivered to doorsteps and the rest to restaurants, libraries and other community resources. In 2019 printing was reduced to 8,000 copies and distribution changed. It is no longer delivered door to door but rather in 75 community outlets within our borders. Although print has taken a hit by the internet, 98% of our magazines are gone when the next deliveries arrive. In 2020 she published the last two issues realizing people weren't picking them up but scrolling on their cell phones instead.
CLICK HERE to read TNN's 5th Anniversary interview with her.
Along with ongoing article contributions from local residents, The Neighborhood News has been supported by dedicated staff members that have included: Carla Pineda, Staff Investigative Reporter: Carla Pineda, an Angelena with roots in El Salvador and Guatemala, is a product of Jefferson Park, a Foshay Learning Center alumna, and a Cal Poly Pomona graduate. She is currently the site editor for Link TV Digital, after serving as associate international news editor and social media manager for other KCETLink properties. Off the clock, she freelances for different publications, supports marketing campaigns, and advocates for educational projects in the community. In her free time, she likes to discover the city's gems, explore new foods, volunteer at local events, and travel the world.
Dawn Kirkpatrick, Staff PhotographerDawn Kirkpatrick is originally from the Midwest and is overjoyed to now call Los Angeles her home. In addition to shooting photographs for The Neighborhood News, Dawn freelances in event photography, photojournalism and portrait photography, especially headshot photography. She discovered her love of photography while studying how it can be used in teaching and learning while earning her master’s degree in education at Harvard University. In her free time she loves running and watching the waves and sunsets at the beach.
Chelsee Lowe: Staff Reporter
Chelsee Lowe is a writer, an educator and a travel enthusiast. When she isn't working on a story, she's likely experimenting in her garden with her young daughter, hunting for the best eats in Los Angeles or planning her next family vacation. Chelsee is a regular contributor to The Neighborhood News and TravelAge West. Her work can also be seen on LAist.com, DrivetheDistrict.com, and in Westways, the magazine for AAA members.