Thursday’s Headlines: Forest Lawn Drive, Pacoima Wash, MacArthur Park, Venice Dell, housing, and car-nage

This edition bundles short items across transit, streets, parks, housing, and traffic violence around the Los Angeles region. The collection highlights local government decisions, community disputes, and a string of crashes described as "car-nage" in Streetsblog headlines.

Forest Lawn Drive and money in Sacramento An opinion piece examines how mortuary interests influenced Sacramento's involvement with Forest Lawn Drive. The story centers on governance and local control of a street long associated with the cemetery and adjacent communities.

San Fernando opened a newly landscaped segment of the Pacoima Wash greenway. The project is presented as a local addition to active-transportation and public-open-space infrastructure.

MacArthur Park vendors and camping law Vendors at MacArthur Park are pushing for repeal of an anti-camping law. The coverage focuses on vendor advocacy and the interaction between street vendors and park enforcement policies.

Local liability and enforcement disputes West Hollywood denied liability in a lawsuit tied to the Ackerman crash death. Separately, Venice Dell's managing commission, under court order, walked back actions linked to sabotage allegations. Malibu is preparing to begin a speed camera program in late September, raising privacy concerns among some residents.

Housing developments and zoning fights Near Van Nuys Station a five-story building with 81 affordable units and no parking is under construction. The project signals continued emphasis on transit-adjacent affordable housing. City plans and local debates around "missing middle" housing continue: some documents and community councils, including Larchmont Area Council, oppose proposed zoning changes that would legalize duplexes, fourplexes, or other missing-middle types in single-family zones.

Transit incidents and service notes A person was killed on Metro's A Line when struck while on the tracks. Metrolink announced a weekend schedule and a $10 pass for Labor Day service. These items underline ongoing safety and service concerns on regional rail lines.

A photo accompanying the piece shows SAFE Executive Director Damian Kevitt on Forest Lawn Drive. The caption notes he lost much of his leg in a car crash while bicycling near that location, adding a personal perspective to coverage of roadway safety.

Taken together, the items show several overlapping dynamics in Los Angeles-area public life: contested street governance, push-and-pull over housing density near transit, incremental park and greenway investments, the rollout of automated enforcement and related privacy debates, and persistent traffic violence. The brief items provide entry points for deeper reporting on each topic.