Looks like the mainstream media is very interested in Councilwoman Jan Perry's idea to stop building fast food restaurants in our neighborhood that we first covered in the spring.

"Thirty percent of adults in South L.A. are obese, compared with 20.9% in the county overall, according to a county Department of Public Health study released in April. For children, the obesity rate was 29% in South L.A., compared with 23.3% in the county," according to the Los Angeles Times. "And the figures are higher than a decade ago. In 1997, the adult rate was 25.3% in South L.A. and 14.3% in the county. South L.A. also has the highest diabetes levels in the county, at 11.7%, compared with 8.1% in the county."

Not everyone agrees that this is a good idea.

I think that the fast food places, backed by national corporations, are squeezing out any chance that locals have to grow their own businesses. And I know my neighbors appreciate when the taco truck parks nearby because we don't have a Mexican food restaurant for miles around.

Let's count the McDonald's within 3 miles of my house on Sutro (You can try it, too):
1. Arlington and King opened about a year ago.
2. Crenshaw and 43rd
3. Vermont and King
4. Crenshaw Plaza
5. La Brea and King
6. Slauson and Western
7. Slauson and Vermont
8. Crenshaw and Adams
9. California Science Center
10. Chevron at King and Figueroa
(the last two are probably 3.3 miles away - did I miss any?)