All Neighbors in Los Angeles's Atwater Village
Top Neighbors: The magic behind the mirrors
You will never have to pay to be listed as a top neighbor. Period. That important detail clarified, let's discuss how we arrive at two "top neighbors" for a given region:
Localism is a bustling collection of hyper-local communities, and the top neighbors should reflect those members who are most active. When ranking users in a given region, several factors are considered. To get your foot in the proverbial door, you need to have posted at least one "Localism" article or photo for the region.
The very best way to quickly rise to #1 is to post high-quality local content. Keeping a steady strem of incoming posts and photos will massively tilt the scales in your favor.
What doesn't count toward the top neighbor ranking? ActiveRain points and community sponsorships. The top neighbor spots will always go to the most active members in a region. We want to create a level playing field that encourages the growth of communities — talent and dedication are required to win the day.
An appropriate song for the Los Angeles River might be "Cry Me a River," given its unfortunate history, but by the end of this month L.A.'s cement channel will be singing a new song. Young musicians between the ages of 6 and 18 can grab a chance at creating that new anthem by entering the Songs of the L.A. River Project competition. Songs must be submitted by April 22. Get more information or 
and took on the struggle of building momentum for the river's revitalization. Those efforts paid off in July of 2010 when the river was awarded Protection under the Clean Water Act. Previously considered a flood control channel and not a navigable river, the river did not qualify for federal funding to remove pollutants or to be restored for recreational use. With the new designation in place, the river has a lot to sing about. Protection under the Clean Water Act will allow for a new look. Plans to remove the concrete liners are in the works and, using modern technology, the river will be able to provide both flood protection and natural habitat for the couple dozen species of birds and fish that already live there, as well as a riparian recreation paradise for Angelenos.
