Hello.

It has been a while since our last message, and there is lots to say. You may have noticed that our last big update was in February. Since that time, my brother and long time web master, Ken, has retired from his duties here to pursue his other pages and interests. Ken has been responsible for much of the look of the site, and many of its best features, including GraveGrams, the Bookstore, the NedStat counter, the Listbot feature that is enabling me to write this to you right now. He will be missed, and I will always be grateful to him for his part in helping me to realize my vision of sharing my grave photography with all of you.

However, all is not lost, dear readers! Ken has passed his mantle on to his old friend, David Koch, of the Cartoon Factory, and David has been hard at work changing the architecture of the site to SQL Server Database technology. Now, you'll be able to search by name, and vote for your favorites. You'll see a big update coming shortly.

You'll notice a few new captions, too, contributed by the Northwest writer, JD Chandler. See his work now under Bugsy Siegel or Carl 'Alfalfa' Switzer.

With the rework of our site, we have also re-worked our e-mail system from Listbot. You have been subscribed on the new system with your e-mail address as both your name and e-mail address. If you would like to change this, please go to: http://www.beneathlosangeles.com/cgi/subscribe.cgi and unsubscribe with your e-mail address as your name and address. Then go back and resubscribe with the name and e-mail address you want!

We have been mentioned in the press lately, too. Articles have appeared in the LA Times, and the OC Weekly. Links to these articles will be on the new site.

Now, on a sad, personal note, BLA has lost one of our good friends and supporters, Denis Svoboda. Denis was a frequent contributor to BLA and related sites Find A Grave and Hollywood Underground, and we hunted many graves together over the last two years or so.

The first place I met him was also the last place I ever saw him, at Forest Lawn, Glendale, a place we both loved and sometimes hated. We spent many happy hours there (and countless other cemeteries) hunting and picture taking, often to the chagrin of the management. In fact, in the final irony of his life, Denis will be interred there in the Freedom Mausoleum, a place we were kicked out of last time we were there together.

That's Denis, having the last laugh.

He was a warm, generous, caring person, always fun to be around. When it was pointed out to me that I had the 'wrong' Wilbur Hatch listed on the site (who knew there could be two guys with this name who lived and died around the same time in Los Angeles?), it was Denis who found the right one and took me there. I will miss him. Lots of us will. If you knew him, or want to know more about him, visit his tribute page at Find A Grave under Non-Famous. You'll find it on the links page.

That's all for now. Please let us know how you like the new features. As always, your comments and suggestions are always welcome. And your support is always appreciated.

Steve

(Published: Wed Mar 20 2019; Hits: 62)

Return To Your Previous Page

---