Essel did not make the TV ad buy. Get your facts straight

Please accept these two clairfications to your article.

Candidate Frank Sheftel founded a Medical Marijuana collective following a life threating illness. Since entering the race for city council, he has stepped down from the Board of Directors and away from the operation.

While Frank received a substantial financial contribution from his friend and mentor Joel Wachs and has his support, no Official Endorsement has been received.

Such an endorsement should come after the Primary.

Thank You,

Thanks for the corrections, readers.

The TV ad buy was made for Essel by a union that supports more development in the Valley, the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades. The group spent $35,000 on what is known as an "independent expenditure" -- the key route by which special interest groups such as labor unions now try to put their candidate in office.

--Jill Stewart, News Editor, LA Weekly

I don't see anything wrong with an organization inviting only the likely top 3 candidates since, frankly, all 10 have appeared together in so many forums, saying the same things, more time with those 3 would be welcomed.

But I am confused by the fact that Price's invitation is going out under her title as head of the VGNA, but then she says it's NOT in that context, and says the other candidates can't attend even in the audience? (I assume, since they're likely to be hecklers, especially 1-2 who have warned as much on another blog.) In that case, will all attendees have to be cleared to be on a list? Yesterday you wrote in this paper that the church hosting the venue was meddling in/ trying to control the election, but they seem to be just a venue for hire. Still, very confusing.

I agree with the right of an organization to invite a limited number of candidates. We have already seen this in several forums.

The real challenge comes when a Neighborhood Council, in this case, Greater Valley Glen Council, distributes invitations to a meeting closed to other candidates and sponsored by a developer within their oun NC District. Using the NC News Letter, NC Banner including the LA City Seal and e-mail list to promote specific candidates is not allowed. You can not use public funds to promote such an event. Since 7 candidates were instructed not to attend as this is a private meeting, the Greater Valley Glenn council needs to send an immediate notice to all who received their e-mail.

The work of Neighborhood Coucils is too vital to shed any more ill will on the entire NC System.

I don't think Judy Price should be using her title as President of her Association on something like this. I think the community should keep their eye on Judy and who and what she supports.

Is it the NC or a homeowners association sponsoring this event, or both?

Using the logo and seal does smell.

If the NC logo or seal was used, did the VGNC Board approve it, or was it simply the action of rogue members?

What would the recourse be?

What a whiner! Stop worrying about where the other candidates are and go knock on doors. Whining will only get you elected in losersville.

Good story, good point.

Having sat through a recurring nightmare of inane blather during the Mayoral forums, I can understand the desire to invite some, but not all, of the candidates.

To invite only the three candidates propped up by money, however, is a disservice to voters.

Better to sit through some inane blather of "candidates" who only want attention than to miss out on good candidates who happen not to have received special interest funds.

If you don't find anything wrong with having a forum that only allows the special interest owned candidates to speak, then you obviously don't care at all about a thing called democracy. And if the invitation that is sent out to citizens uses the city's seal on it well then, "Lawless" indeed!
The fact that these three were the only ones invited to speak at a developer owned event says it all. I am personally shocked at this display of pre election fornication. Because whether you thought it was right or wrong, voters do seem to be paying a lot more attention to what is really happening, so it was clearly an unwise move! Shame on them for being so arrogant to think that the voters wouldn't be disturbed by this.

The Greater Valley Glen Council is just an offshoot of the Valley Glen Homeowners Assoc. The NC members only care about the Valley Glen area and not the parts of North Hollywood and Valley Village that are stuck in the GVGC area after the Homeowners Assoc people setting up the council LIED to the City. GVGC Board spends way too much money on itself rather than the rest of the community. The GVGC should be disbanded after sending the e-mail to "stakeholders" limiting access to the non-partisan event.

The Greater Valley Glen Council is just an offshoot of the Valley Glen Homeowners Assoc. The NC members only care about the Valley Glen area and not the parts of North Hollywood and Valley Village that are stuck in the GVGC area after the Homeowners Assoc people setting up the council LIED to the City. GVGC Board spends way too much money on itself rather than the rest of the community. The GVGC should be disbanded after sending the e-mail to "stakeholders" limiting access to the non-partisan event.

What's wrong with building a mall (now called The Plaza, not the Towne Centre) on Victory? Have you seen what's there now? It's an area that needs MUCH improvement and, as a homeowner in the area, I am happy to see Alan build there.

Paul Teetor is a bud head. go to his house he has bongs, plants growning, all he does is smoke weed..