Joe Bravo

CAN the lowly tortilla change the destiny of a local arts institution? Perhaps, if it's the handiwork of Los Angeles artist Joe Bravo, whose tortilla art exhibition has become the attraction of the decade at the Mexican Cultural Institute in historic Olvera Street. And the paintings done on tortillas -- featuring colorful images of the Virgin of Guadalupe, an Aztec warrior and Che Guevara, among others -- are fetching as much as $1,800 apiece.

In a sense, Cesar Chavez brought together the eight artists who call themselves Artino. On April 1, they ran into each other in a park showing their work as part of the city of San Fernando's annual celebration of Chavez, champion of farm workers. Some, such as Joe Bravo and Sergio Hernandez, knew each other before the event, having met in the 1970s when they studied art and Chicano studies at Cal State Northridge.

CORN, or flour? Artist Joe Bravo, 56, uses tortillas as his canvas, and he chooses flour -- mainly because L.A.'s Tortilleria San Marcos, the company that fashions the specialorder, 2-foot-diameter tortillas on which he paints, has a bigger flour press than corn press. "But I also get more texture variations when I cook them over the stove top," he says. Bravo -- whose tortillas are on view through Jan.

CORN, or flour? Artist Joe Bravo, 56, uses tortillas as his canvas, and he chooses flour -- mainly because L.A.'s Tortilleria San Marcos, the company that fashions the specialorder, 2-foot-diameter tortillas on which he paints, has a bigger flour press than corn press. "But I also get more texture variations when I cook them over the stove top," he says. Bravo -- whose tortillas are on view through Jan.

The argument at home plate was getting heated, too heated, perhaps, for 9 on a Saturday morning. Joe Bravo, the Lawndale coach and sponsor of a slow-pitch softball team bearing his name, maintained that the opposing team, the Braves, had violated three rules on a play in the top of the fifth inning. Not so, ruled the umpire. Bravo protested the game, which his league-leading team led 10-8.

CAN the lowly tortilla change the destiny of a local arts institution? Perhaps, if it's the handiwork of Los Angeles artist Joe Bravo, whose tortilla art exhibition has become the attraction of the decade at the Mexican Cultural Institute in historic Olvera Street. And the paintings done on tortillas -- featuring colorful images of the Virgin of Guadalupe, an Aztec warrior and Che Guevara, among others -- are fetching as much as $1,800 apiece.

A pair of teams from Lawndale by the name of Joe Bravos successfully defended their world age-group titles at the Las Vegas Slow Pitch World Softball Tournament. Bravos posted a 6-2 mark in winning the 55-and-over division. It was the third world title for the team. And the over-60 Bravos team captured its fourth consecutive world title with a 6-1 mark. Bob Perry of the 55-and-over team won a home run hitting contest. He was the only player to hit 1 of 5 pitches over the fence.

True Affair dominated a field of six 3-year-old fillies for an 8 1/2-length victory in the Grade III $100,000-added Busher Breeders' Cup at Aqueduct on Sunday. Ensign Joanne finished second, with Winka another 2 1/2 lengths back in third over the muddy surface. With her second stakes victory, True Affair improved her lifetime record to five wins out of eight starts, while earning $50,850 for owner Winbound Farms.

The Santa Paula school board is scheduled to decide next month whether an elementary school should be renamed for a Latino school board member. Speakers for and against the proposal to rename Glen City School voiced their opinions on the issue at a hearing this week. Several people spoke in support of the proposal to rename the school after longtime Santa Paula civic leader Joe Bravo at Thursday's school board meeting, said Bob Borrego, who requested the name change.

In a sense, Cesar Chavez brought together the eight artists who call themselves Artino. On April 1, they ran into each other in a park showing their work as part of the city of San Fernando's annual celebration of Chavez, champion of farm workers. Some, such as Joe Bravo and Sergio Hernandez, knew each other before the event, having met in the 1970s when they studied art and Chicano studies at Cal State Northridge.

A pair of teams from Lawndale by the name of Joe Bravos successfully defended their world age-group titles at the Las Vegas Slow Pitch World Softball Tournament. Bravos posted a 6-2 mark in winning the 55-and-over division. It was the third world title for the team. And the over-60 Bravos team captured its fourth consecutive world title with a 6-1 mark. Bob Perry of the 55-and-over team won a home run hitting contest. He was the only player to hit 1 of 5 pitches over the fence.

The argument at home plate was getting heated, too heated, perhaps, for 9 on a Saturday morning. Joe Bravo, the Lawndale coach and sponsor of a slow-pitch softball team bearing his name, maintained that the opposing team, the Braves, had violated three rules on a play in the top of the fifth inning. Not so, ruled the umpire. Bravo protested the game, which his league-leading team led 10-8.

A public hearing is scheduled Thursday over a proposal to rename a Santa Paula elementary school after a longtime city leader and current school board trustee. The Board of Trustees of the Santa Paula Elementary School District will hear testimony on whether to rename Glen City School after Trustee Joe Bravo, but the item is scheduled as an information-only matter, and no decision will be made.